Coryneform Bacteria Which Produce Chemical Compounds I

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to coryneform bacteria which have, in addition to at least one copy, present at the natural site (locus), of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele which codes for the synthesis of a protein or an RNA, in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of this open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome and processes for the preparation of chemical compounds by fermentation of these bacteria.

This is a continuation-in-part application of International Patent Appl. No. PCT/EP02/08464 filed on Jul. 30, 2002 which claims priority to U.S. Prov. Appl. No. 60/309,878, filed Aug. 6, 2001.

BACKGROUND

Chemical compounds, which means, in particular, L-amino acids, vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides and D-amino acids, are used in human medicine, in the pharmaceuticals industry, in cosmetics, in the foodstuffs industry and in animal nutrition.

Numerous of these compounds are prepared by fermentation from strains of coryneform bacteria, in particular Corynebacterium glutamicum. Because of their great importance, work is constantly being undertaken to improve the preparation processes. Improvements to the process can relate to fermentation measures, such as, for example, stirring and supply of oxygen, or the composition of the nutrient media, such as, for example, the sugar concentration during the fermentation, or the working un to the product form by, for example, ion exchange chromatography, or the intrinsic output properties of the microorganism itself.

Methods of mutagenesis, selection and mutant selection are used to improve the output properties of these microorganisms. Strains which are resistant to antimetabolites or are auxotrophic for metabolites of regulatory importance and which produce the particular compounds are obtained in this manner.

Methods of the recombinant DNA technique have also been employed for some years for improving the strain of Corynebacterium strains, by amplifying individual biosynthesis genes and investigating the effect on production.

A common method comprises amplification of certain biosynthesis genes in the particular microorganism by means of episomally replicating plasmids. This procedure has the disadvantage that during the fermentation, which in industrial processes is in general associated with numerous generations, the plasmids are lost spontaneously (segregational instability).

Another method comprises duplicating certain biosynthesis genes by means of plasmids which do not replicate in the particular microorganism. In this method, the plasmid, including the cloned biosynthesis gene, is integrated into the chromosomal biosynthesis gene of the microorganism (Reinscheid et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60(1), 126-132 (1994); Jetten et al., Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 43(1):76-82 (1995)). A disadvantage of this method is that the nucleotide sequences of the plasmid and of the antibiotic resistance gene necessary for the selection remain in the microorganism. This is a disadvantage, for example, for the disposal and utilization of the biomass. Moreover, the expert expects such strains to be unstable as a result of disintegration by “Campbell type cross over” in a corresponding number of generations such as are usual in industrial fermentations.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The inventors had the object of providing new measures for improved fermentative preparation chemical compounds using coryneform bacteria.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Coryneform bacteria which produce chemical compounds, characterised in that these have, in addition to at least one copy, present at the natural site (locus), of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele which codes for the synthesis of a protein or an RNA, a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at a second, optionally third or fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication or transposition in microorganisms and no nucleotide sequence(s) which impart(s) resistance to antibiotics being present at the second, optionally third or fourth site, and the second, optionally third or fourth site not relating to open reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles which are essential for the growth of the bacteria and the production of the desired compound.

The invention also provides processes for the preparation of one or more chemical compounds, in which the following steps are carried out:

-   -   a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria,     -   a1) which have, in addition to at least one copy, present at the         natural site (locus), of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or         allele which codes for the synthesis of a protein or an RNA, a         second, optionally third or fourth copy of this open reading         frame (ORF), gene or allele at a second, optionally third or         fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome, no         nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal         replication or transposition in microorganisms and no nucleotide         sequence(s) which impart(s) resistance to antibiotics being         present at the second, optionally third or fourth site, and the         second, optionally third or fourth site not relating to open         reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles which are essential for         the growth of the bacteria and the production of the desired         compound, and     -   a2) in which the intracellular activity of the corresponding         protein is increased, in particular the nucleotide sequence         which codes for this protein is over-expressed,     -   b) concentration of the chemical compound(s) in the fermentation         broth and/or in the cells of the bacteria,     -   c) isolation of the chemical compound(s), optionally     -   d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the         biomass to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100 wt. %.

The invention also provides processes for the preparation of one or more chemical compounds, which comprise the following steps:

-   -   a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria, in particular of the         genus Corynebacterium, which have, in addition to the copy of an         open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele present at the natural         site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth         copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question         at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in         integrated form, no nucleotide sequence which is capable         of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide         sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no         nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics         being present at the particular second, optionally third or         fourth site,     -    under conditions which allow expression of the said open         reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles     -   b) concentration of the chemical compound(s) in the fermentation         broth and/or in the cells of the bacteria,     -   c) isolation of the chemical compound(s), optionally     -   d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the         biomass to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100%.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Chemical compounds are to be understood, in particular, as meaning amino acids, vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides. The biosynthesis pathways of these compounds are known and are available in the prior art.

Amino acids mean, preferably, L-amino acids, in particular the proteinogenic L-amino acids, chosen from the group consisting of L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-threonine, L-serine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, glycine, L-alanine, L-cysteine, L-valine, L-methionine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-lysine, L-tryptophan, L-proline and L-arginine and salts thereof, in particular L-lysine, L-methionine and L-threonine. L-Lysine is very particularly preferred.

Proteinogenic amino acids are understood as meaning the amino acids which occur in natural proteins, that is to say in proteins of microorganisms, plants, animals and humans.

Vitamins mean, in particular, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxines), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), nicotinic acid/nicotinamide, vitamin M (folic acid) and vitamin E (tocopherol) and salts thereof, pantothenic acid being preferred.

Nucleosides and nucleotides mean, inter alia, S-adenosyl-methionine, inosine-5′-monophosphoric acid and guanosine-5′-monophosphoric acid and salts thereof.

The coryneform bacteria are, in particular, those of the genus Corynebacterium. Of the genus Corynebacterium, the species Corynebacterium glutamicum, Corynebacterium ammoniagenes and Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes are preferred. Information on the taxonomic classification of strains of this group of bacteria is to be found, inter alia, in Kämpfer and Kroppenstedt (Canadian Journal of Microbiology 42, 989-1005 (1996)) and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,434.

Suitable strains of the species Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum) are, in particular, the known wild-type strains

-   -   Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032     -   Corynebacterium acetoglutamicum ATCC15806     -   Corynebacterium acetoacidophilum ATCC13870     -   Corynebacterium lilium ATCC15990     -   Corynebacterium melassecola ATCC17965     -   Corynebacterium herculis ATCC13868     -   Arthrobacter sp. ATCC243     -   Brevibacterium chang-fua ATCC14017     -   Brevibacterium flavum ATCC14067     -   Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC13869     -   Brevibacterium divaricatum ATCC14020     -   Brevibacterium taipei ATCC13744 and     -   Microbacterium ammoniaphilum ATCC21645         and mutants or strains, such as are known from the prior art,         produced therefrom which produce chemical compounds.

Suitable strains of the species Corynebacterium ammoniagenes (C. ammoniagenes) are, in particular, the known wild-type strains

-   -   Brevibacterium ammoniagenes ATCC6871     -   Brevibacterium ammoniagenes ATCC15137 and     -   Corynebacterium sp. ATCC21084         and mutants or strains, such as are known from the prior art,         produced therefrom which produce chemical compounds.

Suitable strains of the species Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes (C. thermoaminogenes) are, in particular, the known wild-type strains

-   -   Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes FERM BP-1539     -   Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes FERM BP-1540     -   Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes FERM BP-1541 and     -   Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes FERM BP-1542         and mutants or strains, such as are known from the prior art,         produced therefrom which produce chemical compounds.

Strains with the designation “ATCC” can be obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, Va., USA). Strains with the designation “FERM” can be obtained from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan). The strains of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes mentioned (FERM BP-1539, FERM BP-1540, FERM BP-1541 and FERM BP-1542) are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,434.

Open reading frame (ORF) describes a section of a nucleotide sequence which codes or can code for a protein or polypeptide or ribonucleic acid to which no function can be assigned according to the prior art.

After assignment of a function to the nucleotide sequence section in question, it is in general referred to as a gene.

Alleles are in general understood as meaning alternative forms of a given gene. The forms are distinguished by differences in the nucleotide sequence.

In the context of the present invention, endogenous, that is to say species-characteristic, open reading frames, genes or alleles are preferably used. These are understood as meaning the open reading frames, genes or alleles or nucleotide sequences thereof present in the population of a species, such as, for example, Corynebacterium glutamicum.

“A copy of an open reading frame (ORF), a gene or allele present at the natural site (locus)” in the context of this invention is understood as meaning the position or situation of the ORF or gene or allele in relation to the adjacent ORFs or genes or alleles such as exists in the corresponding wild-type or corresponding parent organism or starting organism.

Thus, for example, the natural site of the lysC gene or of an lysC^(FBR) which codes for a “feed back” resistant aspartate kinase from Corynebacterium glutamicum is the lysC site or lysC locus or lysC gene site with the directly adjacent genes or open reading frames orfX and leuA on one flank and the asd gene on the other flank.

“Feed back” resistant aspartate kinase is understood as meaning aspartate kinases which, compared with the wild-type form, have a lower sensitivity to inhibition by mixtures of lysine and threonine or mixtures of AEC (aminoethylcysteine) and threonine or lysine by itself or AEC by itself. Strains which produce L-lysine typically contain such “feed back” resistant or desensitized aspartate kinases.

The nucleotide sequence of the chromosome of Corynebacterium glutamicum is known and can be found in Patent Application EP-A-1108790 and Access Number (Accession No.) AX114121 of the nucleotide sequence databank of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK). The nucleotide sequences of orfX, the leuA gene and the asd gene have the Access Numbers AX120364 (orfX), AX123517 (leuA) and AX123519 (asd).

Other datenbanks e.g. the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the National Library of Medicin (Bethesda, Md., USA) may be also be used.

Further databanks, such as, for example, that of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, Bethesda, Md., USA) or that of the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (Swissprot, Geneva, Switzerland) or that of the Protein Information Resource Database (PIR, Washington, D.C., USA) can also be used.

“In each case a second, optionally third or fourth site” is understood as meaning a site which differs from the “natural site”. It is also called a “target site” or “target sequence” in the following. It can also be called an “integration site” or “transformation site”. This second, optionally third or fourth site, or the nucleotide sequence present at the corresponding sites, is preferably in the chromosome and is in general not essential for growth and for production of the desired chemical compounds.

To produce the coryneform bacteria according to the invention, the nucleotide sequence of the desired ORF, gene or allele, optionally including expression and/or regulation signals, is isolated and provided with nucleotide sequences of the target site at the ends, these are then transferred into the desired coryneform bacterium, preferably with the aid of vectors which do not replicate or replicate to only a limited extent in coryneform bacteria, and those bacteria in which the desired ORF, gene or allele is incorporated at the target site are isolated, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remaining at the target site.

The invention accordingly also provides a process for the production of coryneform bacteria which produce one or more chemical compounds, which comprises

-   -   a) isolating the nucleotide sequence of at least one desired         ORF, gene or allele, optionally including the expression and/or         regulation signals,     -   b) providing the 5′ and the 3′ end of the ORF, gene or allele         with nucleotide sequences of the target site,     -   c) preferably incorporating the nucleotide sequence of the         desired ORF, gene or allele provided with nucleotide sequences         of the target site into a vector which does not replicate or         replicates to only a limited extent in coryneform bacteria,     -   d) transferring the nucleotide sequence according to b) or c)         into coryneform bacteria, and     -   e) isolating coryneform bacteria in which the nucleotide         sequence according to a) is incorporated at the target site, no         nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal         replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is         capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence         which imparts resistance to antibiotics remaining at the target         site.

Preferably, also, no residues of sequences of the vectors used or species-foreign DNA, such as, for example, restriction cleavage sites, remain at the target site. A maximum of 24, preferably a maximum of 12, particularly preferably a maximum of 6 nucleotides of such DNA upstream or downstream of the ORF, gene or allele incorporated optionally remain at the target site.

By the measures according to the invention, the productivity of the coryneform bacteria or of the fermentative processes for the preparation of chemical compounds is improved in respect of one or more of the features chosen from the group consisting of concentration (chemical compound formed, based on the unit volume), yield (chemical compound formed, based on the source of carbon consumed) and product formation rate (chemical compound formed, based on the time) by at least 0.5-1.0% or at least 1.0 to 1.5% or at least 1.5-2.0%.

Instructions on conventional genetic engineering methods, such as, for example, isolation of chromosomal DNA, plasmid DNA, handling of restriction enzymes etc., are found in Sambrook et al. (Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual (1989) Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press). Instructions on transformation and conjugation in coryneform bacteria are found, inter alia, in Thierbach et al. (Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 29, 356-362 (1988)), in Schafer et al. (Journal of Bacteriology 172, 1663-1666 (1990) and Gene 145, 69-73 (1994)) and in Schwarzer and Mahler (Bio/Technology 9, 84-87 (1991)).

Vectors which replicate to only a limited extent are understood as meaning plasmid vectors which, as a function of the conditions under which the host or carrier is cultured, replicate or do not replicate. Thus, a temperature-sensitive plasmid for coryneform bacteria which can replicate only at temperatures below 31° C. has been described by Nakamura et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,303,383).

The invention furthermore provides coryneform bacteria, in particular of the genus Corynebacterium, which produce L-lysine, characterized in that these have, in addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production present at the natural site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in integrated form, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics being present at the particular second, optionally third or fourth site.

The invention also furthermore provides a process for the preparation of L-lysine, which comprises the following steps:

-   -   a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria, in particular         Corynebacterium glutamicum, characterized in that these have, in         addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame         (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production present at the         natural site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or         fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in         question at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth         site in integrated form, no nucleotide sequence which is capable         of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide         sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no         nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics         being present at the particular second, optionally third or         fourth site,     -    under conditions which allow expression of the said open         reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles,     -   b) concentration of the L-lysine in the fermentation broth,     -   c) isolation of the L-lysine from the fermentation broth,         optionally     -   d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the         biomass to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100%.

A “copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production” is to be understood as meaning all the, preferably endogenous, open reading frames, genes or alleles of which enhancement/over-expression can have the effect of improving lysine production. Enhancement is understood as meaning an increase in the intracellular concentration or activity of the particular gene product, protein or enzyme.

These include, inter alia, the following open reading frames, genes or alleles: accBC, accDA, cstA, cysD, cysE, cysH, cysK, cysN, cysQ, dapA, dapB, dapC, dapD, dapE, dapF, ddh, dps, eno, gap, gap2, gdh, gnd, lysC, lysC^(FBR), lysE, msiK, opcA, oxyR, ppc, ppc^(FBR), pgk, pknA, pknB, pknD, pknG, ppsA, ptsH, ptsI, ptsM, pyc, pyc P458S, sigC, sigD, sigE, sigH, sigM, tal, thyA, tkt, tpi, zwa1, zwf and zwf A213T. These are summarized and explained in Table 1.

These include, in particular, the lysC^(FBR) alleles which code for a “feed back” resistant aspartate kinase. Various lysC^(FBR) alleles are summarized and explained in Table 2.

The following lysC^(FBR) alleles are preferred: lysC A279T (replacement of alanine at position 279 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by threonine), lysC A279V (replacement of alanine at position 279 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by valine), lysC S301F (replacement of serine at position 301 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by phenylalanine), lysC T308I (replacement of threonine at position 308 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by isoleucine), lysC S301Y (replacement of serine at position 308 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by tyrosine), lysC G345D (replacement of glycine at position 345 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by aspartic acid), lysC R320G (replacement of arginine at position 320 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by glycine), lysC T311I (replacement of threonine at position 311 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by isoleucine), lysC S381F (replacement of serine at position 381 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by phenylalanine).

The lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I (replacement of threonine at position 311 of the aspartate kinase protein coded, according to SEQ ID NO: 2, by isoleucine), the nucleotide sequence of which is shown as SEQ ID NO:3, is particularly preferred; the amino acid sequence of the aspartate kinase protein coded is shown as SEQ ID NO:4.

The second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production in question can be integrated at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site. The following open reading frames, genes or nucleotide sequences, inter alia, can be used for this: aecD, ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, fda, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, luxR, luxS, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, menE, mqo, pck, pgi, poxB and zwa2, in particular the genes aecD, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD and pck. These are summarized and explained in Table 3.

The sites mentioned include, of course, not only the coding regions of the open reading frames or genes mentioned, but also the regions or nucleotide sequences lying upstream which are responsible for expression and regulation, such as, for example, ribosome binding sites, promoters, binding sites for regulatory proteins, binding sites for regulatory ribonucleic acids and attenuators. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-800, 1-600, 1-400, 1-200, 1-100 or 1-50 nucleotides upstream of the coding region. In the same way, regions lying downstream, such as, for example, transcription terminators, are also included. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-400, 1-200, 1-100, 1-50 or 1-25 nucleotides downstream of the coding region.

Intergenic regions in the chromosome, that is to say nucleotide sequences without a coding function, can furthermore be used. Finally, prophages or defective phages contained in the chromosome can be used for this.

A prophage is understood as meaning a bacteriophage, in particular the genome thereof, where this is replicated together with the genome of the host and the formation of infectious particles does not take place. A defective phage is understood as meaning a prophage, in particular the genome thereof, which, as a result of various mutations, has lost the ability to form so-called infectious particles. Defective phages are also called cryptic. Prophages and defective phages are often present in integrated form in the chromosome of their host. Further details exist in the prior art, for example in the textbook by Edward A. Birge (Bacterial and Bacteriophage Genetics, 3^(rd) ed., Springer-Verlag, New York, USA, 1994) or in the textbook by S. Klaus et al. (Bakterienviren, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, Germany, 1992).

Examples of regions of the Corynebacterium glutamicum chromosome representing intergenic regions, prophages, defective phages or phage components are shown in tables 12 and 13. The positions of the DNA regions refer to the genome map of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 as presented in EP-A-1108790 or in the databank of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK).

TABLE 1 Open reading frames, genes and alleles of lysine production Access Name Description of the coded enzyme or protein Reference Number accBC Acyl-CoA Carboxylase Jäger et al. U35023 EC 6.3.4.14 Archives of (acyl-CoA carboxylase) Microbiology (1996) 166: 76-82 EP1108790; AX123524 WO0100805 AX066441 accDA Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase EP1055725 EC 6.4.1.2 EP1108790 AX121013 (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) WO0100805 AX066443 cstA Carbon Starvation Protein A EP1108790 AX120811 (carbon starvation protein A) WO0100804 AX066109 cysD Sulfate Adenylyltransferase EP1108790 AX123177 sub-unit II EC 2.7.7.4 (sulfate adenylyltransferase small chain) cysE Serine Acetyltransferase EP1108790 AX122902 EC 2.3.1.30 WO0100843 AX063961 (serine acetyltransferase) cysH 3′-Phosphoadenyl Sulfate Reductase EP1108790 AX123178 EC 1.8.99.4 WO0100842 AX066001 (3′-phosphoadenosine 5′- phosphosulfate reductase) cysK Cysteine Synthase EP1108790 AX122901 EC 4.2.99.8 WO0100843 AX063963 (cysteine synthase) cysN Sulfate Adenylyltransferase sub- EP1108790 AX123176 unit I AX127152 EC 2.7.7.4 (sulfate adenylyltransferase) cysQ Transport Protein CysQ EP1108790 AX127145 (transporter cysQ) WO0100805 AX066423 dapA Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase Bonnassie et X53993 EC 4.2.1.52 al. Nucleic (dihydrodipicolinate synthase) Acids Research 18: 6421 (1990) Pisabarro et Z21502 al., Journal of Bacteriology 175: 2743-2749 (1993) EP1108790 WO0100805 EP0435132 EP1067192 AX123560 EP1067193 AX063773 dapB Dihydrodipicolinate Reductase EP1108790 AX127149 EC 1.3.1.26 WO0100843 AX063753 (dihydrodipicolinate reductase) EP1067192 AX137723 EP1067193 AX137602 Pisabarro et X67737 al., Journal of Z21502 Bacteriology 175: 2743-2749 (1993) JP1998215883 E16749 JP1997322774 E14520 JP1997070291 E12773 JP1995075578 E08900 dapC N-Succinyl Aminoketopimelate EP1108790 AX127146 Transaminase WO0100843 AX064219 EC 2.6.1.17 EP1136559 (N-succinyl diaminopimelate transaminase) dapD Tetrahydrodipicolinate Succinylase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 2.3.1.117 WO0100843 AX063757 (tetrahydrodipicolinate Wehrmann et al. AJ004934 succinylase) Journal of Bacteriology 180: 3159-3165 (1998) dapE N-Succinyl Diaminopimelate EP1108790 AX127146 Desuccinylase WO0100843 AX063749 EC 3.5.1.18 Wehrmann et al. X81379 (N-succinyl diaminopimelate Microbiology desuccinylase) 140: 3349-3356 (1994) dapF Diaminopimelate Epimerase EP1108790 AX127149 EC 5.1.1.7 WO0100843 AX063719 (diaminopimelate epimerase) EP1085094 AX137620 ddh Diaminopimelate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127152 EC 1.4.1.16 WO0100843 AX063759 (diaminopimelate dehydrogenase) Ishino et al., Y00151 Nucleic Acids Research 15: 3917-3917 (1987) JP1997322774 E14511 JP1993284970 E05776 Kim et al., D87976 Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 5: 250-256(1995) dps DNA Protection Protein EP1108790 AX127153 (protection during starvation protein) eno Enolase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 4.2.1.11 WO0100844 AX064945 (enolase) EP1090998 AX136862 Hermann et al., Electrophoresis 19: 3217-3221 (1998) gap Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127148 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064941 EC 1.2.1.12 Eikmanns et X59403 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate al., Journal of dehydrogenase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) gap2 Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127146 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064939 EC 1.2.1.12 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2) gdh Glutamate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127150 EC 1.4.1.4 WO0100844 AX063811 (glutamate dehydrogenase) Boermann et X59404 al., Molecular Microbiology 6: 317-326 (1992). Guyonvarch et X72855 al., NCBI gnd 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127147 EC 1.1.1.44 AX121689 (6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) WO0100844 AX065125 lysC Aspartate Kinase EP1108790 AX120365 EC 2.7.2.4 WO0100844 AX063743 (aspartate kinase) Kalinowski et X57226 al., Molecular Microbiology 5: 1197-204 (1991) lysC^(FBR) Aspartate Kinase feedback resistant see Table 2 (fbr) EC 2.7.2.4 (aspartate kinase fbr) lysE Lysine Exporter EP1108790 AX123539 (lysine exporter protein) WO0100843 AX123539 Vrljić et al., X96471 Molecular Microbiology 22: 815-826 (1996) msiK Sugar Importer EP1108790 AX120892 (multiple sugar import protein) opcA Glucose 6-phosphate Dehydrogenase WO0104325 AX076272 (subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) oxyR Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX122198 (transcriptional regulator) AX127149 ppc^(FBR) Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase EP0723011 feedback resistant WO0100852 EC 4.1.1.31 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase feedback resistant) ppc Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 4.1.1.31 AX123554 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase) O'Reagan et M25819 al., Gene 77(2): 237-251 (1989) pgk Phosphoglycerate Kinase EP1108790 AX121838 EC 2.7.2.3 AX127148 (phosphoglycerate kinase) WO0100844 AX064943 Eikmanns, X59403 Journal of Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) pknA Protein Kinase A EP1108790 AX120131 (protein kinase A) AX120085 pknB Protein Kinase B EP1108790 AX120130 (protein kinase B) AX120085 pknD Protein Kinase D EP1108790 AX127150 (protein kinase D) AX122469 AX122468 pknG Protein Kinase G EP1108790 AX127152 (protein kinase G) AX123109 ppsA Phosphoenol Pyruvate Synthase EP1108790 AX127144 EC 2.7.9.2 AX120700 (phosphoenol pyruvate synthase) AX122469 ptsH Phosphotransferase System Protein H EP1108790 AX122210 EC 2.7.1.69 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system WO0100844 AX069154 component H) ptsI Phosphotransferase System Enzyme I EP1108790 AX122206 EC 2.7.3.9 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system enzyme I) ptsM Glukose-specific Phosphotransferase Lee et al., L18874 System Enzyme II FEMS EC 2.7.1.69 Microbiology (glucose phosphotransferase system Letters 119 enzyme II) (1-2): 137-145 (1994) pyc Pyruvate Carboxylase WO9918228 A97276 EC 6.4.1.1 Peters-Wendisch Y09548 (pyruvate carboxylase) et al., Microbiology 144: 915-927 (1998) pyc Pyruvate Carboxylase EP1108790 P458S EC 6.4.1.1 (pyruvate carboxylase) amino acid exchange P458S sigC Sigma Factor C EP1108790 AX120368 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120085 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor C) sigD RNA Polymerase Sigma Factor D EP1108790 AX120753 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127144 (RNA polymerase sigma factor) sigE Sigma Factor E EP1108790 AX127146 EC 2.7.7.6 AX121325 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor E) sigH Sigma Factor H EP1108790 AX127145 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120939 (sigma factor SigH) sigM Sigma Factor M EP1108790 AX123500 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127145 (sigma factor SigM) tal Transaldolase WO0104325 AX076272 EC 2.2.1.2 (transaldolase) thyA Thymidylate Synthase EP1108790 AX121026 EC 2.1.1.45 AX127145 (thymidylate synthase) tkt Transketolase Ikeda et al., AB023377 EC 2.2.1.1 NCBI (transketolase) tpi Triose Phosphate Isomerase Eikmanns, X59403 EC 5.3.1.1 Journal of (triose phosphate isomerase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) zwa1 Cell Growth Factor 1 EP1111062 AX133781 (growth factor 1) zwf Glucose 6-phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 1.1.1.49 AX121827 (glucose 6-phosphate 1- WO0104325 AX076272 dehydrogenase) zwf Glucose 6-phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 A213T EC 1.1.1.49 (glucose 6-phosphate 1- dehydrogenase) amino acid exchange A213T

TABLE 2 lysC^(FBR) alleles which code for feed back resistant aspartate kinases Name of the Further Access allele information Reference Number lysC^(FBR)-E05108 JP 1993184366-A E05108 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR)-E06825 lysC A279T JP 1994062866-A E06825 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR)-E06826 lysC A279T JP 1994062866-A E06826 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR)-E06827 JP 1994062866-A E06827 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR)-E08177 JP 1994261766-A E08177 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR)-E08178 lysC A279T JP 1994261766-A E08178 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR)-E08179 lysC A279V JP 1994261766-A E08179 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR)-E08180 lysC S301F JP 1994261766-A E08180 (sequence 4) lysC^(FBR)-E08181 lysC T308I JP 1994261766-A E08181 (sequence 5) lysC^(FBR)-E08182 JP 1994261766-A E08182 (sequence 6) lysC^(FBR)-E12770 JP 1997070291-A E12770 (sequence 13) lysC^(FBR)-E14514 JP 1997322774-A E14514 (sequence 9) lysC^(FBR)-E16352 JP 1998165180-A E16352 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR)-E16745 JP 1998215883-A E16745 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR)-E16746 JP 1998215883-A E16746 (sequence 4) lysC^(FBR)-I74588 U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74588 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR)-I74589 lysC A279T U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74589 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR)-I74590 U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74590 (sequence 7) lysC^(FBR)-I74591 lyaC A279T U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74591 (sequence 8) lysC^(FBR)-I74592 U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74592 (sequence 9) lysC^(FBR)-I74593 lysC A279T U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74593 (sequence 10) lysC^(FBR)-I74594 U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74594 (sequence 11) lysC^(FBR)-I74595 lysC A279T U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74595 (sequence 12) lysC^(FBR)-I74596 U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74596 (sequence 13) lysC^(FBR)-I74597 lysC A279T U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671-A I74597 (sequence 14) lysC^(FBR)-X57226 lysC S301Y EP0387527 X57226 Kalinowski et al., Molecular and General Genetics 224: 317-324 (1990) lysC^(FBR)-L16848 lysC G345D Follettie and L16848 Sinskey NCBI Nucleotide Database (1990) lysC^(FBR)-L27125 lysC R320G Jetten et al., L27125 lysC G345D Applied Microbiology Biotechnology 43: 76-82 (1995) lysC^(FBR) lysC T311I WO0063388 (sequence 17) lysC^(FBR) lysC S301F U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,144 lysC^(FBR) lysC S381F lysC^(FBR) JP6261766 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR) lysC A279T JP6261766 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR) lysC A279V JP6261766 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR) lysC S301F JP6261766 (sequence 4) lysC^(FBR) lysC T308I JP6261766 (sequence 5)

TABLE 3 Target sites for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles of lysine production Description of the coded Gene name enzyme or protein Reference Access Number aecD beta C—S Lyase Rossol et al., Journal M89931 EC 2.6.1.1 of Bacteriology (beta C—S lyase) 174(9): 2968-77 (1992) ccpA1 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX127147 (catabolite control protein A1) ccpA2 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX121594 (catabolite control protein A2) citA Sensor Kinase CitA EP1108790 AX120161 (sensor kinase CitA) citB Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX120163 CitB (transcription regulator CitB) citE Citrate Lyase WO0100844 AX065421 EC 4.1.3.6 EP1108790 AX127146 (citrate lyase) fda Fructose Bisphosphate von der Osten et al., X17313 Aldolase Molecular Microbiology EC 4.1.2.13 3(11): 1625-37 (1989) (fructose 1,6- bisphosphate aldolase) gluA Glutamate Transport ATP- Kronemeyer et al., X81191 binding Protein Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate transport 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) ATP-binding protein) gluB Glutamate-binding Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Protein Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate-binding 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) protein) gluC Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate transport 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) system permease) gluD Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate transport 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) system permease) luxR Transcription Regulator WO0100842 AX065953 LuxR EP1108790 AX123320 (transcription regulator LuxR) luxS Histidine Kinase LuxS EP1108790 AX123323 (histidine kinase LuxS) AX127145 lysR1 Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX064673 LysR1 AX127144 (transcription regulator LysR1) lysR2 Transcription Activator EP1108790 AX123312 LysR2 (transcription regulator LysR2) lysR3 Transcription Regulator WO0100842 AX065957 LysR3 EP1108790 AX127150 (transcription regulator LysR3) menE O-Succinylbenzoic Acid WO0100843 AX064599 CoA Ligase EP1108790 AX064193 EC 6.2.1.26 AX127144 (O-succinylbenzoate CoA ligase) mqo Malate-Quinone Molenaar et al., Eur. AJ224946 Oxidoreductase Journal of Biochemistry (malate-quinone- 1; 254(2): 395-403 (1998) oxidoreductase) pck Phosphoenol Pyruvate WO0100844 AJ269506 Carboxykinase AX065053 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase) pgi Glucose 6-phosphate EP1087015 AX136015 Isomerase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 5.3.1.9 (glucose 6-phosphate isomerase) poxB Pyruvate Oxidase WO0100844 AX064959 EC 1.2.3.3 EP1096013 AX137665 (pyruvate oxidase) zwa2 Cell Growth Factor 2 EP1106693 AX113822 (growth factor 2) EP1108790 AX127146

The invention accordingly also provides a process for the production of coryneform bacteria which produce L-lysine, which comprises

-   a) isolating the nucleotide sequence of at least one desired ORF,     gene or allele of lysine production, optionally including the     expression and/or regulation signals, -   b) providing the 5′ and the 3′ end of the ORF, gene or allele of     lysine production with nucleotide sequences of the target site, -   c) preferably incorporating the nucleotide sequence of the desired     ORF, gene or allele provided with nucleotide sequences of the target     site into a vector which does not replicate or replicates to only a     limited extent in coryneform bacteria, -   d) transferring the nucleotide sequence according to b) or c) into     coryneform bacteria, and -   e) isolating coryneform bacteria in which the nucleotide sequence     according to a) is incorporated at the target site, no nucleotide     sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in     microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables     transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to     antibiotics remaining at the target site.

The invention furthermore provides coryneform bacteria, in particular of the genus Corynebacterium, which produce L-methionine and/or L-threonine, characterized in that these have, in addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of methionine production or threonine production present at the natural site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in integrated form, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics being present at the particular second, optionally third or fourth site.

The invention also furthermore provides a process for the preparation of L-methionine and/or L-threonine, which comprises the following steps:

-   a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria, in particular     Corynebacterium glutamicum, characterized in that these have, in     addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame (ORF),     gene or allele of methionine production or threonine production     present at the natural site (locus), in each case a second,     optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF),     gene or allele in question at in each case a second, optionally     third or fourth site in integrated form, no nucleotide sequence     which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms,     no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and     no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics being     present at the particular second, optionally third or fourth site,     -   under conditions which allow expression of the said open reading         frames (ORF), genes or alleles, -   b) concentration of the L-methionine and/or L-threonine in the     fermentation broth, -   c) isolation of the L-methionine and/or L-threonine from the     fermentation broth, optionally -   d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the biomass     to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100%.

A “copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of methionine production” is to be understood as meaning all the, preferably endogenous, open reading frames, genes or alleles of which enhancement/over-expression can have the effect of improving methionine production.

These include, inter alia, the following open reading frames, genes or alleles: accBC, accDA, aecD, cstA, cysD, cysE, cysH, cysK, cysN, cysQ, dps, eno, fda, gap, gap2, gdh, gnd, glyA, horn, hom^(FBR), lysC, lysC^(FBR), metA, metB, metE, metH, metY, msiK, opcA, oxyR, ppc, ppc^(FBR), pgk, pknA, pknB, pknD, pknG, ppsA, ptsH, ptsI, ptsM, pyc, pyc P458S, sigC, sigD, sigE, sigH, sigM, tal, thyA, tkt, tpi, zwa1, zwf and zwf A213T. These are summarized and explained in Table 4. These include, in particular, the lysC^(FBR) alleles which code for a “feed back” resistant aspartate kinase (see Table 2) and the hom^(FBR) alleles which code for a “feed back” resistant homoserine dehydrogenase.

The second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of methionine production in question can be integrated at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site. The following open reading frames, genes or nucleotide sequences, inter alia, can be used for this: brnE, brnF, brnQ, ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, ddh, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, luxR, luxS, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, menE, metD, metK, pck, pgi, poxB and zwa2. These are summarized and explained in Table 5.

The sites mentioned include, of course, not only the coding regions of the open reading frames or genes mentioned, but also the regions or nucleotide sequences lying upstream which are responsible for expression and regulation, such as, for example, ribosome binding sites, promoters, binding sites for regulatory proteins, binding sites for regulatory ribonucleic acids and attenuators. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-800, 1-600, 1-400, 1-200, 1-100 or 1-50 nucleotides upstream of the coding region. In the same way, regions lying downstream, such as, for example, transcription terminators, are also included. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-400, 1-200, 1-100, 1-50 or 1-25 nucleotides downstream of the coding region.

Intergenic regions in the chromosome, that is to say nucleotide sequences without a coding function, can furthermore be used. Finally, prophages or defective phages contained in the chromosome can be used for this.

Examples of regions of the Corynebacterium glutamicum chromosome representing intergenic regions, prophages, defective phages or phage components are shown in tables 12 and 13. The positions of the DNA regions refer to the genome map of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 as presented in EP-A-1108790 or in the databank of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Ge/many and Cambridge, UK).

TABLE 4 Open reading frames, genes and alleles of methionine production Description of the coded enzyme or Access Name protein Reference Number AccBC Acyl-CoA Carboxylase Jäger et al. U35023 EC 6.3.4.14 Archives of (acyl-CoA carboxylase) Microbiology (1996) 166: 76-82 EP1108790; AX123524 WO0100805 AX066441 AccDA Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase EP1055725 EC 6.4.1.2 EP1108790 AX121013 (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) WO0100805 AX066443 AecD Cystathionine beta-Lyase Rossol et al., M89931 EC 4.4.1.8 Journal of (cystathionine beta-lyase) Bacteriology 174: 2968-2977 (1992) CstA Carbon Starvation Protein A EP1108790 AX120811 (carbon starvation protein A) WO0100804 AX066109 CysD Sulfate Adenylyltransferase EP1108790 AX123177 sub-unit II EC 2.7.7.4 (sulfate adenylyltransferase small chain) CysE Serine Acetyltransferase EP1108790 AX122902 EC 2.3.1.30 WO0100843 AX063961 (serine acetyltransferase) CysH 3′-Phosphoadenyl Sulfate Reductase EP1108790 AX123178 EC 1.8.99.4 WO0100842 AX066001 (3′-phosphoadenosine 5′- phosphosulfate reductase) CysK Cysteine Synthase EP1108790 AX122901 EC 4.2.99.8 WO0100843 AX063963 (cysteine synthase) CysN Sulfate Adenylyltransferase sub- EP1108790 AK123176 unit I AX127152 EC 2.7.7.4 (sulfate adenylyltransferase) CysQ Transport protein CysQ EP1108790 AX127145 (transporter cysQ) WO0100805 AX066423 Dps DNA Protection Protein EP1108790 AX127153 (protection during starvation protein) Eno Enolase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 4.2.1.11 WO0100844 AX064945 (enolase) EP1090998 AX136862 Hermann et al., Electrophoresis 19: 3217-3221 (1998) Fda Fructose Bisphosphate Aldolase van der Osten et X17313 EC 4.1.2.13 al., Molecular (fructose bisphosphate aldolase) Microbiology 3: 1625-1637 (1989) Gap Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127148 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064941 EC 1.2.1.12 Eikmanns et al., X59403 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate Journal of dehydrogenase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) gap2 Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127146 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064939 EC 1.2.1.12 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2) Gdh Glutamate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127150 EC 1.4.1.4 WO0100844 AX063811 (glutamate dehydrogenase) Boermann et al., X59404 Molecular Microbiology 6: 317-326 (1992); Guyonvarch et X72855 al., NCBI GlyA Glycine/Serine EP1108790 AX127146 Hydroxymethyltransferase AX121194 EC 2.1.2.1 (glycine/serine hydroxymethyltransferase) Gnd 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127147 EC 1.1.1.44 AX121689 (6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) WO0100844 AX065125 Hom Homoserine Dehydrogenase Peoples et al., Y00546 EC 1.1.1.3 Molecular (homoserine dehydrogenase) Microbiology 2: 63-72 (1988) hom^(FBR) Homoserine Dehydrogenase feedback Reinscheid et resistant (fbr) al., Journal of EC 1.1.1.3 Bacteriology (homoserine dehydrogenase fbr) 173: 3228-30 (1991) LysC Aspartate Kinase EP1108790 AX120365 EC 2.7.2.4 WO0100844 AX063743 (aspartate kinase) Kalinowski et X57226 al., Molecular Microbiology 5: 1197-204 (1991) lysC^(FBR) Aspartate Kinase feedback resistant see Table 2 (fbr) EC 2.7.2.4 (aspartate kinase fbr) MetA Homoserine Acetyltransferase Park et al., AF052652 EC 2.3.1.31 Molecular Cells (homoserine acetyltransferase) 8: 286-94 (1998) MetB Cystathionine γ-Lyase Hwang et al., AF126953 EC 4.4.1.1 Molecular Cells (cystathionine gamma-synthase) 9: 300-308 (1999) MetE Homocysteine Methyltransferase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 2.1.1.14 AX121345 (homocysteine methyltransferase) MetH Homocysteine Methyltransferase EP1108790 AX127148 (Vitamin B12-dependent) AX121747 EC 2.1.1.14 (homocysteine methyltransferase) MetY Acetylhomoserine Sulfhydrolase EP1108790 AX120810 (acetylhomoserine sulfhydrolase) AX127145 MsiK Sugar Importer EP1108790 AX120892 (multiple sugar import protein) OpcA Glucose 6-phosphate Dehydrogenase WO0104325 AX076272 (subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) OxyR Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX122198 (transcriptional regulator) AX127149 ppc^(FBR) Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase EP0723011 feedback resistent WO0100852 EC 4.1.1.31 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase feedback resistant) Ppc Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 4.1.1.31 AX123554 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase) O'Reagan et al., M25819 Gene 77(2): 237-251 (1989) Pgk Phosphoglycerate Kinase EP1108790 AX121838 EC 2.7.2.3 AX127148 (phosphoglycerate kinase) WO0100844 AX064943 Eikmanns, X59403 Journal of Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) PknA Protein Kinase A EP1108790 AX120131 (protein kinase A) AX120085 PknB Protein Kinase B EP1108790 AX120130 (protein kinase B) AX120085 PknD Protein Kinase D EP1108790 AX127150 (protein Kinase D) AX122469 AX122468 PknG Protein Kinase G EP1108790 AX127152 (protein kinase G) AX123109 PpsA Phosphoenol Pyruvate Synthase EP1108790 AX127144 EC 2.7.9.2 AX120700 (phosphoenol pyruvate synthase) AX122469 PtsH Phosphotransferase System Protein H EP1108790 AX122210 EC 2.7.1.69 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system WO0100844 AX069154 component H) PtsI Phosphotransferase System Enzyme I EP1108790 AX122206 EC 2.7.3.9 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system enzyme I) PtsM Glucose-specific Phosphotransferase Lee et al., FEMS L18874 System Enzyme II Microbiology EC 2.7.1.69 Letters 119 (glucose phosphotransferase system (1-2): 137-145 enzyme II) (1994) Pyc Pyruvate Carboxylase WO9918228 A97276 EC 6.4.1.1 Peters-Wendisch Y09548 (pyruvate carboxylase) et al., Microbiology 144: 915-927 (1998) Pyc Pyruvate Carboxylase EP1108790 P458s EC 6.4.1.1 (pyruvate carboxylase) amino acid exchange P458S SigC Sigma Factor C EP1108790 AX120368 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120085 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor C) SigD RNA Polymerase Sigma Factor D EP1108790 AX120753 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127144 (RNA polymerase sigma factor) SigE Sigma Factor E EP1108790 AX127146 EC 2.7.7.6 AX121325 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor E) SigH Sigma Factor H EP1108790 AX127145 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120939 (sigma factor SigH) SigM Sigma Factor M EP1108790 AX123500 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127153 (sigma factor SigM) Tal Transaldolase WO0104325 AX076272 EC 2.2.1.2 (transaldolase) ThyA Thymidylate Synthase EP1108790 AX121026 EC 2.1.1.45 AX127145 (thymidylate synthase) Tkt Transketolase Ikeda et al., AB023377 EC 2.2.1.1 NCBI (transktolase) Tpi Triose Phosphate Isomerase Eikmanns, X59403 EC 5.3.1.1 Journal of (triose phosphate isomerase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) zwa1 Cell Growth Factor 1 EP1111062 AX133781 (growth factor 1) Zwf Glucose 6-phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 1.1.1.49 AX121827 (glucose 6-phosphate 1- WO0104325 AX076272 dehydrogenase) Zwf Glucose 6-phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 A213T EC 1.1.1.49 (glucose 6-phosphate 1- dehydrogenase) amino acid exchange A213T

TABLE 5 Target sites for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles of methionine production Gene Description of the Access name coded enzyme or protein Reference Number BrnE Transporter of EP1096010 AX137709 branched-chain amino AX137714 acids (branched-chain amino acid transporter) BrnF Transporter of EP1096010 AX137709 branched-chain amino AX137714 acids (branched-chain amino acid transporter) BrnQ Carrier protein of Tauch et al., Archives M89931 branched-chain amino of Microbiology AX066841 acids 169(4): 303-12 (1998) AX127150 (branched-chain amino WO0100805 acid transport system EP1108790 carrier protein) ccpA1 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX127147 (catabolite control protein A1) ccpA2 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX121594 (catabolite control protein A2) citA Sensor Kinase CitA EP1108790 AX120161 (sensor kinase CitA) citB Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX120163 CitB (transcription regulator CitB) citE Citrate Lyase WO0100844 AX065421 EC 4.1.3.6 EP1108790 AX127146 (citrate lyase) ddh Diaminopimelate Ishino et al., Nucleic S07384 Dehydrogenase Acids Research 15: AX127152 EC 1.4.1.16 3917 (1987) (diaminopimelate EP1108790 dehydrogenase) gluA Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 ATP-binding Protein Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology ATP-binding protein) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluB Glutamate-binding Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Protein Journal of (glutamate-binding Bacteriology protein) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluC Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology system permease) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluD Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology system permease) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) luxR Transcription Regulator WO0100842 AX065953 LuxR EP1108790 AX123320 (transcription regulator LuxR) luxS Histidine Kinase LuxS EP1108790 AX123323 (histidine kinase LuxS) AX127145 lysR1 Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX064673 LysR1 AX127144 (transcription regulator LysR1) lysR2 Transcription Activator EP1108790 AX123312 LysR2 (transcription regulator LysR2) lysR3 Transcription Regulator WO0100842 AX065957 LysR3 EP1108790 AX127150 (transcription regulator LysR3) menE O-Succinylbenzoic Acid WO0100843 AX064599 CoA Ligase EP1108790 AX064193 EC 6.2.1.26 AX127144 (O-succinylbenzoate CoA ligase) metD Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX123327 MetD AX127153 (transcription regulator MetD) metK Methionine Adenosyl WO0100843 AX063959 Transferase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 2.5.1.6 (S-adenosylmethionine synthetase) pck Phosphoenol Pyruvate WO0100844 AJ269506 Carboxykinase AX065053 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase) pgi Glucose 6-Phosphate EP1087015 AX136015 Isomerase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 5.3.1.9 (glucose-6-phosphate isomerase) poxB Pyruvate Oxidase WO0100844 AX064959 EC 1.2.3.3 EP1096013 AX137665 (pyruvate oxidase) zwa2 Cell Growth Factor 2 EP1106693 AX113822 (growth factor 2) EP1108790 AX127146

A “copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of threonine production” is to be understood as meaning all the open reading frames, genes or alleles of which enhancement/over-expression can have the effect of improving threonine production.

These include, inter alia, the following open reading frames, genes or alleles: accBC, accDA, cstA, cysD, cysE, cysH, cysI, cysN, cysQ, dps, eno, fda, gap, gap2, gdh, gnd, horn, hom^(FBR), lysC, lysC^(FBR), msiK, opcA, oxyR, ppc, ppc^(FBR), pgk, pknA, pknB, pknD, pknG, ppsA, ptsH, ptsI, ptsM, pyc, pyc P458S, sigC, sigD, sigE, sigH, sigM, tal, thyA, tkt, tpi, thrB, thrC, thrE, zwa1, zwf and zwf A213T. These are summarized and explained in Table 6. These include, in particular, the lysC^(FBR) alleles which code for a “feed back” resistant aspartate kinase (See Table 2) and the hom^(FBR) alleles which code for a “feed back” resistant homoserine dehydrogenase.

The second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of threonine production in question can be integrated at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site. The following open reading frames, genes or nucleotide sequences, inter alia, can be used for this: ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, ddh, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, glyA, ilvA, ilvBN, ilvC, ilvD, luxR, luxS, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, mdh, menE, metA, metD, pck, poxB, sigB and zwa2. These are summarized and explained in Table 7.

The sites mentioned include, of course, not only the coding regions of the open reading frames or genes mentioned, but also the regions or nucleotide sequences lying upstream which are responsible for expression and regulation, such as, for example, ribosome binding sites, promoters, binding sites for regulatory proteins, binding sites for regulatory ribonucleic acids and attenuators. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-800, 1-600, 1-400, 1-200, 1-100 or 1-50 nucleotides upstream of the coding region. In, the same way, regions lying downstream, such as, for example, transcription terminators, are also included. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-400, 1-200, 1-100, 1-50 or 1-25 nucleotides downstream of the coding region.

Intergenic regions in the chromosome, that is to say nucleotide sequences without a coding function, can furthermore be used. Finally, prophages or defective phages contained in the chromosome can be used for this.

Examples of regions of the Corynebacterium glutamicum chromosome representing intergenic regions, prophages, defective phages or phage components are shown in tables 12 and 13. The positions of the DNA regions refer to the genome map of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 as presented in EP-A-1108790 or in the databank of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK).

TABLE 6 Open reading frames, genes and alleles of threonine production Description of the coded enzyme or Access Name protein Reference Number accBC Acyl-CoA Carboxylase Jäger et al. U35023 EC 6.3.4.14 Archives of (acyl-CoA carboxylase) Microbiology 166: 76-82 (1996) EP1108790 AX123524 WO0100805 AX066441 accDA Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase EP1055725 EC 6.4.1.2 EP1108790 AX121013 (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) WO0100805 AX066443 cstA Carbon Starvation Protein A EP1108790 AX120811 (carbon starvation protein A) WO0100804 AX066109 cysD Sulfate Adenylyltransferase EP1108790 AX123177 sub-unit II EC 2.7.7.4 (sulfate adenylyltransferase small chain) cysE Serine Acetyltransferase EP1108790 AX122902 EC 2.3.1.30 WO0100843 AX063961 (serine acetyltransferase) cysH 3′-Phosphoadenyl Sulfate Reductase EP1108790 AX123178 EC 1.8.99.4 WO0100842 AX066001 (3′-phosphoadenosine 5′- phosphosulfate reductase) cysK Cysteine Synthase EP1108790 AX122901 EC 4.2.99.8 WO0100843 AX063963 (cysteine synthase) cysN Sulfate Adenylyltransferase sub- EP1108790 AX123176 unit I AX127152 EC 2.7.7.4 (sulfate adenylyltransferase) cysQ Transport protein CysQ EP1108790 AX127145 (transporter cysQ) WO0100805 AX066423 dps DNA Protection Protein EP1108790 AX127153 (protection during starvation protein) eno Enolase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 4.2.1.11 WO0100844 AX064945 (enolase) EP1090998 AX136862 Hermann et al., Electrophoresis 19: 3217-3221 (1998) fda Fructose Bisphosphate Aldolase van der Osten et X17313 EC 4.1.2.13 al., Molecular (fructose bisphosphate aldolase) Microbiology 3: 1625-1637 (1989) gap Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127148 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064941 EC 1.2.1.12 Eikmanns et al., X59403 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate Journal of dehydrogenase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) gap2 Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127146 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064939 EC 1.2.1.12 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2) gdh Glutamate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127150 EC 1.4.1.4 WO0100844 AX063811 (glutamate dehydrogenase) Boermann et al., X59404 Molecular Microbiology 6: 317-326 (1992); Guyonvarch et X72855 al., NCBI gnd 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127147 EC 1.1.1.44 AX121689 (6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) WO0100844 AX065125 hom Homoserine Dehydrogenase Peoples et al., Y00546 EC 1.1.1.3 Molecular (homoserine dehydrogenase) Microbiology 2: 63-72 (1988) hom^(FBR) Homoserine Dehydrogenase feedback Reinscheid et resistant (fbr) al., Journal of EC 1.1.1.3 Bacteriology (homoserine dehydrogenase fbr) 173: 3228-30 (1991) lysC Aspartate Kinase EP1108790 AX120365 EC 2.7.2.4 WO0100844 AX063743 (aspartate kinase) Kalinowaki et X57226 al., Molecular Microbiology 5: 1197-204 (1991) lysC^(FBR) Aspartate Kinase feedback resistent see Table 2 (fbr) EC 2.7.2.4 (aspartate kinase fbr) msiK Sugar Importer EP1108790 AX120892 (multiple sugar import protein) opcA Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase WO0104325 AX076272 (subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) oxyR Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX122198 (transcriptional regulator) AX127149 ppc^(FBR) Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase EP0723011 feedback resistent WO0100852 EC 4.1.1.31 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase feedback resistant) ppc Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 4.1.1.31 AX123554 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase) O'Reagan et al., M25819 Gene 77(2): 237-251 (1989) pgk Phosphoglycerate Kinase EP1108790 AX121838 EC 2.7.2.3 AX127148 (phosphoglycerate kinase) WO0100844 AX064943 Eikmanns, X59403 Journal of Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) pknA Protein Kinase A EP1108790 AX120131 (protein kinase A) AX120085 pknB Protein Kinase B EP1108790 AX120130 (protein kinase B) AX120085 pknD Protein Kinase D EP1108790 AX127150 (protein kinase D) AX122469 AX122468 pknG Protein Kinase G EP1108790 AX127152 (protein kinase G) AX123109 ppsA Phosphoenol Pyruvate Synthase EP1108790 AX127144 EC 2.7.9.2 AX120700 (phosphoenol pyruvate synthase) AX122469 ptsH Phosphotransferase System Protein H EP1108790 AX122210 EC 2.7.1.69 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system WO0100844 AX069154 component H) ptsI Phosphotransferase System Enzyme I EP1108790 AX122206 EC 2.7.3.9 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system enzyme I) ptsM Glukose-specific Phosphotransferase Lee et al., FEMS L18874 System Enzyme II Microbiology EC 2.7.1.69 Letters 119 (glucose phosphotransferase-system (1-2): 137-145 enzyme II) (1994) pyc Pyruvate Carboxylase WO9918228 A97276 EC 6.4.1.1 Peters-Wendisch Y09548 (pyruvate carboxylase) et al., Microbiology 144: 915-927 (1998) pyc Pyruvate Carboxylase EP1108790 P458S EC 6.4.1.1 (pyruvate carboxylase) amino acid exchange P458S sigC Sigma Factor C EP1108790 AX120368 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120085 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor C) sigD RNA Polymerase Sigma Factor D EP1108790 AX120753 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127144 (RNA polymerase sigma factor) sigE Sigma Factor E EP1108790 AX127146 EC 2.7.7.6 AX121325 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor B) sigH Sigma Factor H EP1108790 AX127145 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120939 (sigma factor SigH) sigM Sigma Factor M EP1108790 AX123500 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127153 (sigma factor SigM) tal Transaldolase WO0104325 AX076272 EC 2.2.1.2 (transaldolase) thrB Homoserine Kinase Peoples et al., Y00546 EC 2.7.1.39 Molecular (homoserine kinase) Microbiology 2: 63-72 (1988) thrC Threonine Synthase Han et al., X56037 EC 4.2.99.2 Molecular (threonine synthase) Microbiology 4: 1693-1702 (1990) thrE Threonine Exporter EP1085091 AX137526 (threonine export carrier) thyA Thymidylate Synthase EP1108790 AX121026 EC 2.1.1.45 AX127145 (thymidylate synthase) tkt Transketolase Ikeda et al., AB023377 EC 2.2.1.1 NCBI (transketolase) tpi Triose phosphate Isomerase Eikmanns, X59403 EC 5.3.1.1 Journal of (triose phosphate isomerase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) zwal Cell Growth Factor 1 EP1111062 AX133781 (growth factor 1) zwf Glucose 6-Phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 1.1.1.49 AX121827 (glucose 6-phosphate 1- WO0104325 AX076272 dehydrogenase) zwf Glucose 6-Phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 A213T EC 1.1.1.49 (glucose 6-phosphate 1- dehydrogenase) amino acid exchange A213T

TABLE 7 Target sites for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles of threonine production Gene Description of the coded Access name enzyme or protein Reference Number ccpA1 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX127147 (catabolite control protein A1) ccpA2 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX121594 (catabolite control protein A2) citA Sensor Kinase CitA EP1108790 AX120161 (sensor kinase CitA) citB Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX120163 CitB (transcription regulator CitB) citE Citrate Lyase WO0100844 AX065421 EC 4.1.3.6 EP1108790 AX127146 (citrate lyase) ddh Diaminopimelate Ishino et al., Nucleic S07384 Dehydrogenase Acids Research 15: AX127152 EC 1.4.1.16 3917 (1987) (diaminopimelate EP1108790 dehydrogenase) gluA Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 ATP-binding Protein Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology ATP-binding protein) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluB Glutamate-binding Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Protein Journal of (glutamate-binding Bacteriology protein) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluC Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology system permease) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluD Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology system permease) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) glyA Glycine WO0100843 AX063861 Hydroxymethyl- AF327063 transferase EC 2.1.2.1 (glycine hydroxymethyl- transferase) ilvA Threonine Dehydratase Möckel et al., Journal A47044 EC 4.2.1.16 of Bacteriology 174 L01508 (threonine dehydratase) (24), 8065-8072 AX127150 (1992) EP1108790 ilvBN Acetolactate Synthase Keilhauer et al., L09232 EC 4.1.3.18 Journal of AX127147 (acetolactate synthase) Bacteriology 175(17): 5595-603 (1993) EP1108790 ilvC Reductoisomerase Keilhauer et al., C48648 EC 1.1.1.86 Journal of AX127147 (ketol-acid Bacteriology reductoisomerase) 175(17): 5595-603 (1993) EP1108790 ilvD Dihydroxy-acid EP1006189 AX136925 Dehydratase EC 4.2.1.9 (dihydroxy-acid dehydratase) luxR Transcription Regulator WO0100842 AX065953 LuxR EP1108790 AX123320 (transcription regulator LuxR) luxS Histidine Kinase LuxS EP1108790 AX123323 (histidine kinase LuxS) AX127153 lysR1 Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX064673 LysR1 AX127144 (transcription regulator LysR1) lysR2 Transcription Activator EP1108790 AX123312 LysR2 (transcription regulator LysR2) lysR3 Transcription Regulator WO0100842 AX065957 LysR3 EP1108790 AX127150 (transcription regulator LysR3) mdh Malate Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064895 EC 1.1.1.37 (malate dehydrogenase) menE O-Succinylbenzoic Acid WO0100843 AX064599 CoA Ligase EP1108790 AX064193 EC 6.2.1.26 AX127144 (O-succinylbenzoate CoA ligase) metA Homoserine O- Park et al., Molecular AX063895 Acetyltransferase Cells 30; 8(3): 286-94 AX127145 EC 2.3.1.31 (1998) (homoserine O- WO0100843 acetyltransferase) EP1108790 metD Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX123327 MetD AX127153 (transcription regulator MetD) pck Phosphoenol Pyruvate WO0100844 AJ269506 Carboxykinase AX065053 (phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase) poxB Pyruvate Oxidase WO0100844 AX064959 EC 1.2.3.3 EP1096013 AX137665 (pyruvate oxidase) sigB RNA Polymerase EP1108790 AX127149 Transcription Factor (RNA polymerase transcription factor) zwa2 Cell Growth Factor 2 EP1106693 AX113822 (growth factor 2) EP1108790 AX127146

The invention accordingly also provides a process for the production of coryneform bacteria which produce L-methionine and/or L-threonine, which comprises

-   a) isolating the nucleotide sequence of at least one desired ORF,     gene or allele of methionine production or threonine production,     optionally including the expression and/or regulation signals, -   b) providing the 5′ and the 3′ end of the ORF, gene or allele with     nucleotide sequences of the target site, -   c) preferably incorporating the nucleotide sequence of the desired     ORF, gene or allele provided with nucleotide sequences of the target     site into a vector which does not replicate or replicates to only a     limited extent in coryneform bacteria, -   d) transferring the nucleotide sequence according to b) or c) into     coryneform bacteria, and -   e) isolating coryneform bacteria in which the nucleotide sequence     according to a) is incorporated at the target site, no nucleotide     sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in     microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables     transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to     antibiotics remaining at the target site.

The invention furthermore provides coryneform bacteria, in particular of the genus Corynebacterium, which produce L-valine, wherein these have, in addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of valine production present at the natural site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in integrated form, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics being present at the particular second, optionally third or fourth site.

The invention also furthermore provides a process for the preparation of L-valine, which comprises the following steps:

-   a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria, in particular     Corynebacterium glutamicum, characterized in that these have, in     addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame (ORF),     gene or allele of valine production present at the natural site     (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of     the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at in each     case a second, optionally third or fourth site in integrated form,     no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal     replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is     capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which     imparts resistance to antibiotics being present at the particular     second, optionally third or fourth site,     -   under conditions which allow expression of the said open reading         frames (ORF), genes or alleles, -   b) concentration of the L-valine in the fermentation broth, -   c) isolation of the L-valine from the fermentation broth, optionally -   d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the biomass     to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100%.

A “copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of valine production” is to be understood as meaning all the open reading frames, genes or alleles of which enhancement/over-expression can have the effect of improving valine production.

These include, inter alia, the following open reading frames, genes or alleles: brnE, brnF, brnEF, cstA, cysD, dps, eno, fda, gap, gap2, gdh, ilvB, ilvN, ilvBN, ilvC, ilvD, ilvE msiK, pgk, ptsH, ptsl, ptsM, sigC, sigD, sigE, sigH, sigM, tpi, zwa1. These are summarized and explained in Table 8. These include in particular the ilvBN alleles which code for a valine-resistant acetolactate synthase.

The second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of valine production in question can be integrated at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site. The following open reading frames, genes or nucleotide sequences, inter alia, can be used for this: aecD, ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, ddh, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, glyA, ilvA, luxR, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, panB, panC, poxB and zwa2. These are summarized and explained in Table 9.

The sites mentioned include, of course, not only the coding regions of the open reading frames or genes mentioned, but also the regions or nucleotide sequences lying upstream which are responsible for expression and regulation, such as, for example, ribosome binding sites, promoters, binding sites for regulatory proteins, binding sites for regulatory ribonucleic acids and attenuators. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-800, 1-600, 1-400, 1-200, 1-100 or 1-50 nucleotides upstream of the coding region. In the same way, regions lying downstream, such as, for example, transcription terminators, are also included. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-400, 1-200, 1-100, 1-50 or 1-25 nucleotides downstream of the coding region.

Intergenic regions in the chromosome, that is to say nucleotide sequences without a coding function, can furthermore be used. Finally, prophages or defective phages contained in the chromosome can be used for this.

Examples of regions of the Corynebacterium glutamicum chromosome representing intergenic regions, prophages, defective phages or phage components are shown in tables 12 and 13. The positions of the DNA regions refer to the genome map of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 as presented in EP-A-1108790 or in the databank of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK).

TABLE 8 Open reading frames, genes and alleles of valine production Description of the coded enzyme or Access Name protein Reference Number brnEF Export of branched-chain amino EP1096010 acids (branched chain amino acid export) Kennerknecht et AF454053 al., NCBI cstA Carbon Starvation Protein A EP1108790 AX120811 (carbon starvation protein A) WO0100804 AX066109 dps DNA Protection Protein EP1108790 AX127153 (protection during starvation protein) eno Enolase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 4.2.1.11 WO0100844 AX064945 (enolase) EP1090998 AX136862 Hermann et al., Electrophoresis 19: 3217-3221 (1998) fda Fructose Bisphosphate Aldolase van der Osten et X17313 EC 4.1.2.13 al., Molecular (fructose bisphosphate aldolase) Microbiology 3: 1625-1637 (1989) gap Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127148 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064941 EC 1.2.1.12 Eikmanns et al., X59403 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate Journal of dehydrogenase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) gap2 Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127146 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064939 EC 1.2.1.12 (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2) gdh Glutamate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127150 EC 1.4.1.4 WO0100844 AX063811 (glutamate dehydrogenase) Boermann et al., X59404 Molecular Microbiology 6: 317-326 (1992); Guyonvarch et X72855 al., NCBI ilvBN Acetolactate Synthase Keilhauer et L09232 EC 4.1.3.18 al., Journal of (acetolactate synthase) Bacteriology 175(17): 5595-603 (1993) EP1108790 AX127147 ilvC Isomeroreductase Keilhauer et C48648 EC 1.1.1.86 al., Journal of AX127147 (acetohydroxy acid Bacteriology isomeroreductase) 175(17): 5595-603 (1993) EP1108790 ilvD Dihydroxy-acid Dehydratase EP1006189 AX136925 EC 4.2.1.9 (dihydroxy acid dehydratase) ilvE Transaminase B EP1108790 AX127150 EC 2.6.1.42 AX122498 (transaminase B) msiK Sugar Importer EP1108790 AX120892 (multiple sugar import protein) pgk Phosphoglycerate Kinase EP1108790 AX121838 EC 2.7.2.3 AX127148 (phosphoglycerate kinase) WO0100844 AX064943 Eikmanns, X59403 Journal of Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) ptsH Phosphotransferase System Protein H EP1108790 AX122210 EC 2.7.1.69 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system WO0100844 AX069154 component H) ptsI Phosphotransferase System Enzyme I EP1108790 AX122206 EC 2.7.3.9 AX127149 (phosphotransferase system enzyme I) ptsM Glucose-specific Phosphotransferase Lee et al., FEMS L18874 System Enzyme II Microbiology EC 2.7.1.69 Letters 119 (glucose phosphotransferase-system (1-2): 137-145 enzyme II) (1994) sigC Sigma Factor C EP1108790 AX120368 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120085 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor C) sigD RNA Polymerase Sigma Factor D EP1108790 AX120753 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127144 (RNA polymerase sigma factor) sigE Sigma Factor E EP1108790 AX127146 EC 2.7.7.6 AX121325 (extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor E) sigH Sigma Factor H EP1108790 AX127145 EC 2.7.7.6 AX120939 (sigma factor SigH) sigM Sigma Factor M EP1108790 AX123500 EC 2.7.7.6 AX127153 (sigma factor SigM) tpi Triose Phosphate Isomerase Eikmanns, X59403 EC 5.3.1.1 Journal of (triose phosphate isomerase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) zwal Cell Growth Factor 1 EP1111062 AX133781 (growth factor 1)

TABLE 9 Target sites for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles of valine production Description Gene of the coded Access name enzyme or protein Reference Number aecD beta C-S Lyase Rossol et al., Journal M89931 EC 2.6.1.1 of Bacteriology (beta C-S lyase) 174(9): 2968-77 (1992) ccpA1 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX127147 (catabolite control protein A1) ccpA2 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX121594 (catabolite control protein A2) citA Sensor Kinase CitA EP1108790 AX120161 (sensor kinase CitA) citB Transcription EP1108790 AX120163 Regulator CitB (transcription regulator CitB) citE Citrate Lyase WO0100844 AX065421 EC 4.1.3.6 EP1108790 AX127146 (citrate lyase) ddh Diaminopimelate Ishino et al., Nucleic S07384 Dehydrogenase Acids Research 15: 3917 AX127152 EC 1.4.1.16 (1987) (diaminopimelate EP1108790 dehydrogenase) gluA Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 ATP-binding Protein Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate transport 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) ATP-binding protein) gluB Glutamate-binding Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Protein Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate-binding 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) protein) gluC Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate transport 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) system permease) gluD Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of Bacteriology (glutamate transport 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) system permease) glyA Glycine WO0100843 AX063861 Hydroxymethyl- AF327063 transferase EC 2.1.2.1 (glycine hydroxymethyl- transferase) ilvA Threonine Dehydratase Möckel et al., Journal A47044 EC 4.2.1.16 of Bacteriology 174 L01508 (threonine (24), 8065-8072 (1992) AX127150 dehydratase) EP1108790 luxR Transcription WO0100842 AX065953 Regulator LuxR EP1108790 AX123320 (transcription regulator LuxR) lysR1 Transcription EP1108790 AX064673 Regulator LysR1 AX127144 (transcription regulator LysR1) lysR2 Transcription EP1108790 AX123312 Activator LysR2 (transcription regulator LysR2) lysR3 Transcription WO0100842 AX065957 Regulator LysR3 EP1108790 AX127150 (transcription regulator LysR3) panB Ketopantoate US6177264 X96580 Hydroxymethyl- transferase EC 2.1.2.11 (ketopantoate hydroxymethyl- transferase) panC pantothenate US6177264 X96580 Synthetase EC 6.3.2.1 (pantothenate synthetase) poxB Pyruvate Oxidase WO0100844 AX064959 EC 1.2.3.3 EP1096013 AX137665 (pyruvate oxidase) zwa2 Cell Growth Factor 2 EP1106693 AX113822 (growth factor 2) EP1108790 AX127146

The invention accordingly also provides a process for the production of coryneform bacteria which produce L-valine, which comprises

-   a) isolating the nucleotide sequence of at least one desired ORF,     gene or allele of valine production, optionally including the     expression and/or regulation signals, -   b) providing the 5′ and the 3′ end of the ORF, gene or allele with     nucleotide sequences of the target site, -   c) preferably incorporating the nucleotide sequence of the desired     ORF, gene or allele provided with nucleotide sequences of the target     site into a vector which does not replicate or replicates to only a     limited extent in coryneform bacteria, -   d) transferring the nucleotide sequence according to b) or c) into     coryneform bacteria, and -   e) isolating coryneform bacteria in which the nucleotide sequence     according to a) is incorporated at the target site, no nucleotide     sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in     microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables     transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to     antibiotics remaining at the target site.

The invention also furthermore provides a process for the preparation of L-tryptophane, which comprises the following steps:

-   a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria, in particular     Corynebacterium glutamicum, characterized in that these have, in     addition to at least one of the copy of an open reading frame (ORF),     gene or allele of tryptophane production present at the natural site     (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of     the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at in each     case a second, optionally third or fourth site in integrated form,     no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal     replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is     capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which     imparts resistance to antibiotics being present at the particular     second, optionally third or fourth site,     -   under conditions which allow expression of the said open reading         frames (ORF), genes or alleles, -   b) concentration of the tryptophane in the fermentation broth, -   c) isolation of the tryptophane from the fermentation broth,     optionally -   d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the biomass     to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100%.

A “copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of tryptophane production” is to be understood as meaning all the open reading frames, genes or alleles of which enhancement/over-expression can have the effect of improving tryptophane production.

These include, inter alia, the following open reading frames, genes or alleles: aroA, aroB, aroC, aroD, aroE, aroG, aroK, cstA, eno, gap, gap2, gnd, ppsA, rpe, serA, serB, serC, tal, thyA, tkt, tpi, trpA, trpB, trpC, trpD optionally comprising at least one of the amino acid exchanges selected from the group consisting of A215T (exchange of alanine at position 215 against threonine), D138A (exchange of aspartic acid at position 138 against alanine), S149F (exchange of serine at position 149 against phenylalanine) and A162E (exchange of alanine at position 162 against glutamic acid), trpE, trpE^(FBR) e.g. the amino acid exchange S38R (exchange of serine at position 38 against arginine), trpG, trpL optionally comprising the mutation W14*, zwa1, zwf optionally comprising the amino acid exchange A213T (exchange of alanine at position 213 against threonine). These are summarized and explained in Table 10. These include in particular the tryptophane operon comprising trpE, trpG, trpD, trpC and trpA and optionally trpL. Furthermore these include in particular a trpE^(FBR) allele which codes for a tryptophane-resistant anthranilate synthase.

The second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of tryptophane production in question can be integrated at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site. The following open reading frames, genes or nucleotide sequences, inter alia, can be used for this: ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, cysE, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, glyA, luxR, luxS, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, menE, pgi, pheA, poxB and zwa2. These are summarized and explained in Table 11.

The sites mentioned include, of course, not only the coding regions of the open reading frames or genes mentioned, but also the regions or nucleotide sequences lying upstream which are responsible for expression and regulation, such as, for example, ribosome binding sites, promoters, binding sites for regulatory proteins, binding sites for regulatory ribonucleic acids and attenuators. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-800, 1-600, 1-400, 1-200, 1-100 or 1-50 nucleotides upstream of the coding region. In the same way, regions lying downstream, such as, for example, transcription terminators, are also included. These regions in general lie in a range of 1-400, 1-200, 1-100, 1-50 or 1-25 nucleotides downstream of the coding region.

Intergenic regions in the chromosome, that is to say nucleotide sequences without a coding function, can furthermore be used. Finally, prophages or defective phages contained in the chromosome can be used for this.

Examples of regions of the Corynebacterium glutamicum chromosome representing intergenic regions, prophages, defective phages or phage components are shown in tables 12 and 13. The positions of the DNA regions refer to the genome map of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 as presented in EP-A-1108790 or in the databank of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK).

TABLE 10 Open reading frames, genes and alleles of tryptophane production Gene Description of the coded enzyme or Access- name protein Reference Number aroA Enolpyruvylsahikimate Phosphate O'Donohue et AF114233 Synthase al., NCBI EC 2.5.1.19 (enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase) aroB Dehydroquinate Synthetase Burke et al., AF124600 EC 4.6.1.3 NCBI (dehydroquinate synthetase) aroC Chorismate Synthase Burke et al., AF124600 EC 4.6.1.4 NCBI (chorismate synthase) aroD Dehydroquinate Dehydratase Joy et al., AF124518 EC 4.2.1.10 NCBI (dehydroquinate dehydratase) aroE Shikimate Dehydrogenase Joy et al., AF124518 EC 1.1.1.25 NCBI (shikimate dehydrogenase) aroG Dehydro-3-Deoxyphosphoheptonate Chen et al., L07603 Aldolase FEMS EC4.1.2.15 Microbioliology (dehydro-3-deoxyphosphoheptonate Letters aldolase) 107: 223-230 (1993). aroK Shikimate Kinase Burke et al., AF124600 EC 2.7.1.71 NCBI (shikimate kinase) cstA Carbon Starvation Protein A EP1108790 AX120811 (carbon starvation protein A) WO0100804 AX066109 eno Enolase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 4.2.1.11 WO0100844 AX064945 (enolase) EP1090998 AX136862 Hermann et al., Electrophoresis 19: 3217-3221 (1998) gap Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127148 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064941 EC 1.2.1.12 Eikmanns et X59403 (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate al., Journal of dehydrogenase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) gap2 Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate EP1108790 AX127146 Dehydrogenase WO0100844 AX064939 EC 1.2.1.12 (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2) gnd 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127147 EC 1.1.1.44 AX121689 (6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) WO0100844 AX065125 ppsA Phosphoenolpyruvate Synthetase EP1108790 AX127144 EC 2.7.9.2 AX120700 (phosphoenolpyruvate-synthase) rpe Ribulose-Phosphate Epimerase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 5.1.3.1 AX121852 (ribulose-phosphate-epimerase) serA Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127147 EC1.1.1.95 AX121499 (phosphoglycerate-dehydrogenase) serB Phosphoserine Phosphatase EP1108790 AX127144 EC 3.1.3.3 AX120551 (phosphoserine phosphatase) serC Phosphoserine Aminotransferase EP1108790 AX127145 EC 2.6.1.52 AX121012 (phosphoserine aminotransferase) tal Transaldolase WO0104325 AX076272 EC 2.2.1.2 (transaldolase) thyA Thymidylate Synthase EP1108790 AX121026 EC 2.1.1.45 AX127145 (thymidylate synthase) tkt Transketolase Ikeda et al., AB023377 EC 2.2.1.1 NCBI (transketolase) tpi Triose-phosphate Isomerase Eikmanns, X59403 EC 5.3.1.1 Journal of (triose-phosphate isomerase) Bacteriology 174: 6076-6086 (1992) trpA Tryptophane Synthase (alpha Kette) Matsui et al., X04960 EC 4.2.1.20 Nucleic Acids (tryptophan synthase (alpha chain)) Research 14: 10113-10114 (1986) trpB Tryptophane Synthase (beta Kette) Matsui et al., X04960 EC 4.2.1.20 Nucleic Acids (tryptophan synthase (beta chain)) Research 14: 10113-10114 (1986) trpC Phosphoribosylanthranilate Matsui et al., X04960 Isomerase Nucleic Acids EC 5.3.1.24 Research (phosphoribosylanthranilate 14: 10113-10114 isomerase) (1986) trpD Anthranilate Matsui et al., X04960 Phosphoribosyltransferase Nucleic Acids EC 2.4.2.18 Research (anthranilate 14: 10113-10114 phosphoribosyltransferase) (1986) trpD Anthranilate O'Gara et al., A125T, Phosphoribosyltransferase Applied and D138A, EC 2.4.2.18 Environmental S149F, anthranilate Microbiology A162E (phosphoribosyltransferase) 61: 4477-4479 amino acid exchanges A125T, D138A, (1995) S149F, A162E trpE Anthranilate Synthase Komponente I Matsui et al., X04960 EC 4.1.3.27 Nucleic Acids (anthranilate synthase component I) Research 14: 10113-10114 (1986) trpE Anthranilat Synthase Component I Matsui et al., fbr feedback resistent Journal of EC 4.1.3.27 Bacteriology (anthranilate synthase component I 169: 5330-5332 feedback resistant) (1987) trpG Anthranilate Synthase Komponente II Matsui et al, X04960 EC 4.1.3.24 Nucleic Acids (anthranilate synthase component Research II) 14: 10113-10114 (1986) trpL Trp Operon Leader Peptide Matsui et al., X04960 (trp operon leader peptide) Nucleic Acids Research 14: 10113-10114 (1986) trpL Trp Operon Leaderpeptid Herry et al., W14* (trp operon leader peptide Applied and mutation W14*) Environmental Microbiology 59: 791-799 (1993) zwal Cell Growth Factor 1 EP1111062 AX133781 (growth factor 1) zwf Glucose-6-phosphat1-1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 AX127148 EC 1.1.1.49 AX121827 (glucose-6-phosphate-1- WO0104325 AX076272 dehydrogenase) zwf Glucose-6-phosphate-1-Dehydrogenase EP1108790 A213T EC 1.1.1.49 (glucose-6-phosphate-1- dehydrogenase) amino acid exchange A213T

TABLE 11 Target sites for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles of tryptophane production Gene Description of the coded Access name enzyme or protein Reference Number ccpA1 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX127147 (catabolite control protein A1) ccpA2 Catabolite Control WO0100844 AX065267 Protein EP1108790 AX121594 (catabolite control protein A2) citA Sensor-Kinase CitA EP1108790 AX120161 (sensor kinase CitA) citB Transcription Regulator EP1108790 AX120163 CitB (transcription regulator CitB) citE Citrate-Lyase WO0100844 AX065421 EC 4.1.3.6 EP1108790 AX127146 (citrate lyase) cysE Serine O- EP1108790 AX122902 Acetyltransferase EC 2.3.1.30 (serine O- acetyltransferase) gluA Glutamate Transport ATP- Kronemeyer et al., X81191 binding Protein Journal of (glutamate transport ATP- Bacteriology binding protein) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluB Glutamate-binding Protein Kronemeyer et al., X81191 (glutamate binding Journal of protein) Bacteriology 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluC Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology system permease) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) gluD Glutamate Transport Kronemeyer et al., X81191 Permease Journal of (glutamate transport Bacteriology system permease) 177(5): 1152-8 (1995) glyA glycine JP1997028391 E12594 hydroxymethyltransferase EC 2.1.2.1 (glycine hydroxymethyltransferase) luxR Transkription Regulator WO0100842 AX065953 LuxR EP1108790 AX123320 (transcription regulator LuxR) luxS Histidine Kinase LuxS EP1108790 AX123323 (histidine kinase LuxS) AX127153 lysR1 Transkription Regulator EP1108790 AX064673 LysR1 AX127144 (transcription regulator LysR1) lysR2 Transkription Activator EP1108790 AX123312 LysR2 (transcription regulator LysR2) lysR3 Transkription Regulator WO0100842 AX065957 LysR3 EP1108790 AX127150 (transcription regulator LysR3) menE O-Succinylbenzoic acid- WO0100843 AX064599 CoA-Ligase EP1108790 AX064193 EC 6.2.1.26 AX127144 (O-succinylbenzoate-CoA ligase) pgi Glucose-6-Phosphate- EP1087015 AX136015 Isomerase EP1108790 AX127146 EC 5.3.1.9 (glucose-6-phosphate isomerase) pheA Prephenate Dehydratase Follettie et al., M13774 EC 4.2.1.51 Journal of (prephenate dehydratase) Bacteriology 167: 695-702(1986) poxB pyruvate-Oxidase WO0100844 AX064959 EC 1.2.3.3 EP1096013 AX137665 (pyruvate oxidase) zwa2 Cell Growth Factor 2 EP1106693 AX113822 (growth factor 2) EP1108790 AX127146

The invention accordingly also provides a process for the production of coryneform bacteria which produce L-valine, which comprises

-   a) isolating the nucleotide sequence of at least one desired ORF,     gene or allele of valine production, optionally including the     expression and/or regulation signals, -   b) providing the 5′ and the 3′ end of the ORF, gene or allele with     nucleotide sequences of the target site, -   c) preferably incorporating the nucleotide sequence of the desired     ORF, gene or allele provided with nucleotide sequences of the target     site into a vector which does not replicate or replicates to only a     limited extent in coryneform bacteria, -   d) transferring the nucleotide sequence according to b) or c) into     coryneform bacteria, and -   e) isolating coryneform bacteria in which the nucleotide sequence     according to a) is incorporated at the target site, no nucleotide     sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in     microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables     transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to     antibiotics remaining at the target site.

TABLE 12 Intergenic regions as target sites for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles Position of Position of Access sequence sequence Reference number start end EP1108790 AX120085 192176 194501 EP1108790 AX127145 235840 237311 EP1108790 AX127145 236096 237311 EP1108790 AX127148 322628 330877 EP1108790 AX127148 334045 336467 EP1108790 AX127148 289565 291841 EP1108790 AX127149 154823 161111 EP1108790 AX127149 190088 193497 EP1108790 AX127149 27398 28707 EP1108790 AX127149 61478 62944 EP1108790 AX127149 116234 117561 EP1108790 AX127149 140847 144605 EP1108790 AX127150 113274 114324 EP1108790 AX127152 244281 246403

TABLE 13 Target sites coding for phages or phage components suitable for integration of open reading frames, genes and alleles Position of Position Access sequence of Reference number start Sequence end EP1108790 AX127149 50474 51049 EP1108790 AX127149 67886 68587 EP1108790 AX127151 72893 73480 EP1108790 AX127149 88231 89445 EP1108790 AX127148 139781 140155 EP1108790 AX127148 140546 141001 EP1108790 AX127149 194608 195294 EP1108790 AX127147 200185 200940 EP1108790 AX127147 208157 208450 EP1108790 AX127149 269616 269948 EP1108790 AX127148 336468 338324 EP1108790 AX127148 342235 342681 EP1108790 AX127148 343518 345356 EP1108790 AX127148 345872 346207

During work on the present invention, it was possible to incorporate a second copy of an lysC^(FBR) allele into the gluB gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the gluB gene site. This strain, which is called DSM13994glu::lysC, carries the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at its natural lysC site and a second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at a second site (target site), namely the gluB gene. A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation of the lysC^(FBR) allele into the gluB gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 1. It carries the name pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1.

During work on the present invention, it was furthermore possible to incorporate a copy of an lysC^(FBR) allele into the target site of the gluB gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the gluB gene site. This strain, which is called DSM12866glu::lysC, carries the wild-type form of the lysC gene at its natural lysC site and a second copy of the lysC gene in the form of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at a second site (target site), namely the gluB gene. It has been deposited under number DSM15039 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen (German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures). A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation of the lysC^(FBR) allele into the gluB gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 1. It carries the name pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1.

During work on the present invention, it was furthermore possible to incorporate a copy of an lysC^(FBR) allele into the target site of the aecD gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the aecD gene site. This strain, which is called DSM12866aecD::lysC, carries the wild-type form of the lysC gene at its natural lysC site and a second copy of the lysC gene in the form of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at a second site (target site), namely the aecD gene. A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation of the lysC^(FBR) into the aecD gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 2. It carries the name pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1.

During work on the present invention, it was furthermore possible to incorporate a copy of an lysC^(FBR) allele into the target site of the pck gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the pck gene site. This strain, which is called DSM12866 pck::lysC, carries the wild-type form of the lysC gene at its natural lysC site and a second copy of the lysC gene in the form of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at a second site (target site), namely the pck gene. A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation into the pck gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 3. It carries the name pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)1.

During work on the present invention, it was furthermore possible to incorporate a copy of the ddh gene into the target site of the gluB gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the gluB gene site. This strain, which is called DSM12866glu::ddh, carries a copy of the ddh gene at its natural ddh site and a second copy of the ddh gene at a second site (target site), namely the gluB gene. A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation of the ddh gene into the gluB gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 4. It carries the name pK18mobsacBgluB2_(—)1.

During work on the present invention, it was furthermore possible to incorporate a copy of the dapA gene into the target site of the aecD gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the aecD gene site. This strain, which is called DSM12866aecD::dapA, carries a copy of the dapA gene at its natural dapA site and a second copy of the dapA gene at a second site (target site), namely the aecD gene. A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation of the dapA gene into the aecD gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 5. It carries the name pK18mobsacBaecD2_(—)1.

During work on the present invention, it was furthermore possible to incorporate a copy of a pyc allele into the target site of the pck gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum such that no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication in microorganisms, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables transposition and no nucleotide sequence which imparts resistance to antibiotics remained at the pck gene site. This strain, which is called DSM12866 pck::pyc, carries a copy of the wild-type form of the pyc gene at its natural pyc site and a second copy of the pyc gene in the form of the pyc allele pyc P458S at a second site (target site), namely the pck gene. A plasmid with the aid of which the incorporation of the pyc allele into the pck gene can be achieved is shown in FIG. 6. It carries the name pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)3.

The coryneform bacteria produced according to the invention can be cultured continuously or discontinuously in the batch process (batch culture) or in the fed batch (feed process) or repeated fed batch process (repetitive feed process) for the purpose of production of chemical compounds. A summary of known culture methods is described in the textbook by Chmiel (Bioprozesstechnik 1. Einführung in die Bioverfahrenstechnik (Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1991)) or in the textbook by Storhas (Bioreaktoren und periphere Einrichtungen (Vieweg Verlag, Braunschweig/Wiesbaden, 1994)).

The culture medium to be used must meet the requirements of the particular strains in a suitable manner. Descriptions of culture media for various microorganisms are contained in the handbook “Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology” of the American Society for Bacteriology (Washington D.C., USA, 1981).

Sugars and carbohydrates, such as e.g. glucose, sucrose, lactose, fructose, maltose, molasses, starch and cellulose, oils and fats, such as e.g. soya oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil and coconut fat, fatty acids, such as e.g. palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid, alcohols, such as e.g. glycerol and ethanol, and organic acids, such as e.g. acetic acid or lactic acid, can be used as the source of carbon. These substances can be used individually or as a mixture.

Organic nitrogen-containing compounds, such as peptones, yeast extract, meat extract, malt extract, corn steep liquor, soya bean flour and urea, or inorganic compounds, such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium phosphate, ammonium carbonate and ammonium nitrate, can be used as the source of nitrogen. The sources of nitrogen can be used individually or as a mixture.

Phosphoric acid, potassium dihydrogen phosphate or dipotassium hydrogen phosphate or the corresponding sodium-containing salts can be used as the source of phosphorus. The culture medium must furthermore comprise salts of metals, such as e.g. magnesium sulfate or iron sulfate, which are necessary for growth. Finally, essential growth substances, such as amino acids and vitamins, can be employed in addition to the above-mentioned substances. Suitable precursors can moreover be added to the culture medium. The starting substances mentioned can be added to the culture in the form of a single batch, or can be fed in during the culture in a suitable manner.

Basic compounds, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonia or aqueous ammonia, or acid compounds, such as phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid, can be employed in a suitable manner to control the pH of the culture. Antifoams, such as e.g. fatty acid polyglycol esters, can be employed to control the development of foam. Suitable substances having a selective action, such as e.g. antibiotics, can be added to the medium to maintain the stability of plasmids. To maintain aerobic conditions, oxygen or oxygen-containing gas mixtures, such as e.g. air, are introduced into the culture. The temperature of the culture is usually 20° C. to 45° C., and preferably 25° C. to 40° C. Culturing is continued until a maximum of the desired chemical compound has formed. This target is usually reached within 10 hours to 160 hours.

It has been found that the coryneform bacteria according to the invention, in particular the coryneform bacteria which produce L-lysine, have an unexpectedly high stability. They were stable for at least 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, preferably at least 50-60, 60-70, 70-80 and 80-90 generations or cell division cycles.

The following microorganisms have been deposited:

The strain Corynebacterium glutamicum DSM12866glu::lysC was deposited in the form of a pure culture on 5 Jun. 2002 under number DSM15039 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ=German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

The plasmid pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 was deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli DH5αmcr/pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 (=DH5alphamcr/pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1) on 20 Apr. 2001 under number DSM14243 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, GeLmany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

The plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 was deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli DH5αmcr/pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 (=DH5alphamcr/pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1) on 5 Jun. 2002 under number DSM15040 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

Example 1 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the lysC^(FBR) Allele into the Chromosome of the Strain DSM13994 and of the Strain DSM12866

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain DSM13994 was produced by multiple, non-directed mutagenesis, selection and mutant selection from C. glutamicum ATCC13032. The strain is resistant to the lysine analogue S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine and has a feed back-resistant aspartate kinase which is insensitive to inhibition by a mixture of lysine and threonine (in each case 25 mM). The nucleotide sequence of the lysC^(FBR) allele of this strain is shown as SEQ ID NO:3. It is also called lysC T311I in the following. The amino acid sequence of the aspartate kinase protein coded is shown as SEQ ID NO:4. A pure culture of this strain was deposited on 16 Jan. 2001 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ=German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

The strain DSM12866 was produced from C. glutamicum ATCC13032 by non-directed mutagenesis and selection of the mutants with the best L-lysine accumulation. It is methionine-sensitive. Growth on minimal medium comprising L-methionine can be re-established by addition of threonine. This strain has the wild-type form of the lysC gene shown as SEQ ID NO:1. The corresponding amino acid sequence of the wild-type aspartate kinase protein is shown as SEQ ID NO:2. A pure culture of this strain was deposited on 10 Jun. 1999 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

1.1 Isolation and Sequencing of the DNA of the lysC Allele of Strain DSM13994

From the strain DSM13994, chromosomal DNA is isolated by the conventional methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994)). With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a DNA section which carries the lysC gene or allele is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the lysC gene known for C. glutamicum (Kalinowski et al., Molecular Microbiology, 5 (5), 1197-1204 (1991); Accession Number X57226), the following primer oligonucleotides were chosen for the PCR:

lysC1beg (SEQ ID No: 5): 5′ TA(G GAT CC)T CCG GTG TCT GAC CAC GGT G 3′ lysC2end: (SEQ ID NO: 6): 5′ AC(G GAT CC)G CTG GGA AAT TGC GCT CTT CC 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA section of approx. 1.7 kb in length, which carries the lysC gene or allele. The primers moreover contain the sequence for a cleavage site of the restriction endonuclease BamHI, which is marked by parentheses in the nucleotide sequence shown above.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 1.7 kb in length which carries the lysC allele of the strain DSM13994 is identified by electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel, isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

Ligation of the fragment is then carried out by means of the Topo TA Cloning Kit (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands, Cat. Number K4600-01) in the vector pCRII-TOPO. The ligation batch is transformed in the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl β-D-galactopyranoside, 64 mg/l).

The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The resulting plasmid is called pCRIITOPOlysC.

The nucleotide sequence of the amplified DNA fragment or PCR product is determined by the dideoxy chain termination method of Sanger et al. (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 74:5463-5467 (1977)) using the “ABI Prism 377” sequencing apparatus of PE Applied Biosystems (Weiterstadt, Germany). The sequence of the coding region of the PCR product is shown in SEQ ID No:3. The amino acid sequence of the associated aspartate kinase protein is shown in SEQ ID NO:4.

The base thymine is found at position 932 of the nucleotide sequence of the coding region of the lysC^(FBR)allele of strain DSM13994 (SEQ ID NO:3). The base cytosine is found at the corresponding position of the wild-type gene (SEQ ID NO:1).

The amino acid isoleucine is found at position 311 of the amino acid sequence of the aspartate kinase protein of strain DSM13994 (SEQ ID No:4). The amino acid threonine is found at the corresponding position of the wild-type protein (SEQ ID No:2).

The lysC allele, which contains the base thymine at position 932 of the coding region and accordingly codes for an aspartate kinase protein which contains the amino acid isoleucine at position 311 of the amino acid sequence, is called the lysC^(FBR) allele or lysC T311I in the following.

The plasmid pCRIITOPOlysC, which carries the lysC_(FBR) allele lysC T311I, was deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli TOP 10/pCRIITOPOlysC under number DSM14242 on 20 Apr. 2001 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

1.2 Construction of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain ATCC13032 is used as the donor for the chromosomal DNA. From the strain ATCC13032, chromosomal DNA is isolated using the conventional methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994)). With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a DNA fragment which carries the gluB gene and surrounding regions is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the gluABCD gene cluster known for C. glutamicum (Kronemeyer et al., Journal of Bacteriology, 177: 1152-1158 (1995)) (Accession Number X81191), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

gluBgl1 (SEQ ID NO: 7): 5′ TA(A GAT CT)G TGT TGG ACG TCA TGG CAA G 3′ gluBgl2 (SEQ ID NO: 8): 5′ AC(A GAT CT)T GAA GCC AAG TAC GGC CAA G 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 1.7 kb in size, which carries the gluB gene and surrounding regions. The surrounding regions are a sequence section approx. 0.33 kb in length upstream of the gluB gene, which represents the 3′ end of the gluA gene, and a sequence section approx. 0.44 kb in length downstream of the gluB gene, which represents the 5′ end of the gluC gene. The primers moreover contain the sequence for the cleavage site of the restriction endonuclease BglII, which is marked by parentheses in the nucleotide sequence shown above.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 1.7 kb in length which carries the gluB gene and surrounding regions is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

Ligation of the fragment is then carried out by means of the TOPO TA Cloning Kit (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands, Cat. Number K4600-01) in the vector pCRII-TOPO. The ligation batch is transformed in the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl β-D-galactopyranoside, 64 mg/l).

The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The resulting plasmid is called pCRII-TOPOglu.

The plasmid pCRII-TOPOglu is cleaved with the restriction enzyme BglII (Aersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany) and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the gluB fragment of approx. 1.7 kb is isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the mobilizable cloning vector pK18mobsacB described by Schäfer et al. (Gene 14: 69-73 (1994)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme BamHI and dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim), mixed with the gluB fragment of approx. 1.7 kb, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5a (Grant et al.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 87 (1990) 4645-4649) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In. DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which is supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBglu1.

Plasmid DNA was isolated from the strain DSM14242 (see Example 1.1), which carries the plasmid pCRIITOPOlysC, and cleaved with the restriction enzyme BamHI (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany), and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the lysC^(FBR)-containing DNA fragment of approx. 1.7 kb in length was isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the vector pK18mobsacBglu1 described above. This is cleaved beforehand with the, restriction enzyme BamHI, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim, Germany), mixed with the lysC^(FBR) fragment of approx. 1.7 kb and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In: DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1. A map of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 1.

The plasmid pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 was deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli DH5αmcr/pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 (=DH5alphamcr/pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1) under number DSM14243 on 20.04.2001 at the Deutsche Sammiung für Mikroorganismen und Zeilkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

1.3 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I into the Chromosome (Target Site: gluB Gene) of the Strain DSM13994 by Means of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1

The vector pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 described in Example 1.2 is transferred by the protocol of Schafer et al. (Journal of Microbiology 172: 1663-1666 (1990)) into the C. glutamicum strain DSM13994 by conjugation. The vector cannot replicate independently in DSM13994 and is retained in the cell only if it has integrated into the chromosome. Selection of clones or transconjugants with integrated pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 is made by plating out the conjugation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which is supplemented with 15 mg/l kanamycin and 50 mg/l nalidixic acid. Kanamycin-resistant transconjugants are plated out on LB agar plates with 25 mg/l kanamycin and incubated for 48 hours at 33° C.

For selection of mutants in which excision of the plasmid has taken place as a consequence of a second recombination event, the clones are cultured for 20 hours in LB liquid medium and then plated out on LB agar with 10% sucrose and incubated for 48 hours.

The plasmid pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1, like the starting plasmid pK18mobsacB, contains, in addition to the kanamycin resistance gene, a copy of the sacB gene which codes for levan sucrase from Bacillus subtilis. The expression which can be induced by sucrose leads to the formation of levan sucrase, which catalyses the synthesis of the product levan, which is toxic to C. glutamicum. Only those clones in which the integrated pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 has excised as the consequence of a second recombination event therefore grow on LB agar. Depending on the position of the second recombination event, after the excision the second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele manifests itself in the chromosome at the gluB locus, or the original gluB locus of the host remains.

Approximately 40 to 50 colonies are tested for the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin”. Approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin” are investigated with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA fragment which carries the gluB gene and surrounding regions is amplified here from the chromosomal DNA of the colonies. The same primer oligonucleotides as are described in Example 1.2 for the construction of the integration plasmid are chosen for the PCR.

gluBgl1 (SEQ ID NO: 7): 5′ TA(A GAT CT)G TGT TGG ACG TCA TGG CAA G 3′ gluBgl2 (SEQ ID NO: 8): 5′ AC(A GAT CT)T GAA GCC AAG TAC GGC CAA G 3′

The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment approx. 1.7 kb in size in control clones with the original gluB locus. In clones with a second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele in the chromosome at the gluB locus, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 3.4 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel.

A clone which, in addition to the copy present at the lysC locus, has a second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at the gluB locus in the chromosome was identified in this manner. This clone was called strain DSM13994glu::lysC.

1.4 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the lysC Gene in the Form of the lysC^(FBR) Allele lysC T311I into the Chromosome (Target Site: gluB gene) of the Strain DSM12866 by Means of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1

As described in Example 1.3, the plasmid pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 is transferred into the C. glutamicum strain DSM12866 by conjugation. A clone which, in addition to the copy of the wild-type gene present at the lysC locus, has a second copy of the lysC gene in the form of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at the gluB locus in the chromosome was identified in the manner described in 1.3. This clone was called strain DSM12866glu::lysC.

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain according to the invention which carries a second copy of an lysC^(FBR) allele in the gluB gene was deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain Corynebacterium glutamicum DSM12866glu::lysC on 5 Jun. 2002 under number DSM15039 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

1.5 Construction of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)1

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain ATCC13032 is used as the donor for the chromosomal DNA. From the strain ATCC13032, chromosomal DNA is isolated using the conventional methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994)). With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a DNA fragment which carries the pck gene and surrounding regions is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the pck gene known for C. glutamicum (EP1094111 and Riedel et al., Journal of Molecular and Microbiological Biotechnology 3:573-583 (2001)) (Accession Number AJ269506), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

pck_beg (SEQ ID NO: 9): 5′ TA(A GAT CT) G CCG GCA TGA CTT CAG TTT 3′ pck_end (SEQ ID NO: 10): 5′ AC(A GAT CT) G GTG GGA GCC TTT CTT GTT ATT 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 2.9 kb in size, which carries the pck gene and adjacent regions. The primers moreover contain the sequence for the cleavage site of the restriction endonuclease BglII, which is marked by parentheses in the nucleotide sequence shown above.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 2.9 kb in length which carries the pck gene and surrounding regions is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

Ligation of the fragment is then carried out by means of the TOPO TA Cloning Kit (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands, Cat. Number K4600-01) in the vector pCRII-TOPO. The ligation batch is transformed in the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (64 mg/l).

The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The resulting plasmid is called pCRII-TOPOpck. The plasmid pCRII-TOPOpck is cleaved with the restriction enzyme BglII (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany) and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the pck fragment of approx. 2.9 kb is isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the mobilizable cloning vector pK18mobsacB described by Schafer et al. (Gene 14: 69-73 (1994)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme BamHI and dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim), mixed with the pck fragment of approx. 2.9 kb, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli Strain DH5α (Grant et al.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 87 (1990) 4645-4649) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In. DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which is supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBpck1.

Plasmid DNA was isolated from the strain DSM14242 (see Example 1.1), which carries the plasmid pCRIITOPOlysC, and cleaved with the restriction enzyme BamHI (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany), and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the lysC^(FBR)-containing DNA fragment approx. 1.7 kb long was isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the vector pK18mobsacBpck1 described above. This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme BamHI, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim, Germany), mixed with the lysC^(FBR) fragment of approx. 1.7 kb and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In: DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobdsacBpck1_(—)1. A map of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 3.

1.6 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the lysC Gene in the Form of the lysC^(FBR) Allele lysC T311I into the Chromosome (Target Site: pck Gene) of the Strain DSM12866 by Means of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)1

As described in Example 1.3, the plasmid pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)1 described in Example 1.5 is transferred into the C. glutamicum strain DSM12866 by conjugation. Selection is made for targeted recombination events in the chromosome of C. glutamicum DSM12866 as described in Example 1.3. Depending on the position of the second recombination event, after the excision the second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele manifests itself in the chromosome at the pck locus, or the original pck locus of the host remains.

Approximately 40 to 50 colonies are tested for the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin”. Approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin” are investigated with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA fragment which carries the pck gene and surrounding regions is amplified here from the chromosomal DNA of the colonies. The same primer oligonucleotides as are described in Example 1.5 for the construction of the integration plasmid are chosen for the PCR.

pck_beg (SEQ ID NO: 9): 5′ TA(A GAT CT) G CCG GCA TGA CTT CAG TTT 3′ pck_end (SEQ ID NO: 10): 5′ AC(A GAT CT) G GTG GGA GCC TTT CTT GTT ATT 3′

The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment approx. 2.9 kb in size in control clones with the original pck locus. In clones with a second copy of the lysC^(FBR) in the chromosome at the pck locus, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 4.6 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel.

A clone which, in addition to the copy of the wild-type gene present at the lysC locus, has a second copy of the lysC gene in the form of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at the pck locus in the chromosome was identified in this manner. This clone was called strain DSM12866 pck::lysC.

1.7 Construction of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain ATCC13032 is used as the donor for the chromosomal DNA. From the strain ATCC13032, chromosomal DNA is isolated using the conventional methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994)). With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a DNA fragment which carries the aecD gene and surrounding regions is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the aecD gene known for C. glutamicum (Rossol et al., Journal of Bacteriology 174:2968-2977 (1992)) (Accession Number M89931), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

aecD_beg (SEQ ID NO: 11): 5′ GAA CTT ACG CCA AGC TGT TC 3′ aecD_end (SEQ ID NO: 12): 5′ AGC ACC ACA ATC AAC GTG AG 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 2.1 kb in size, which carries the aecD gene and adjacent regions.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 2.1 kb in length is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

The DNA fragment purified is cleaved with the restriction enzyme BamHI and EcoRV (Amersham Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany). The ligation of the fragment in the vector pUC18 then takes place (Norrander et al., Gene 26:101-106 (1983)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzymes BglII and SmaI, dephosphorylated, mixed with the aecD-carrying fragment of approx. 1.5 kb, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany). The ligation batch is transformed in the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (64 mg/l).

The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The resulting plasmid is called pUC18aecD.

Plasmid DNA was isolated from the strain DSM14242 (see Example 1.1) which carries the plasmid pCRIITOPOlysC and cleaved with the restriction enzyme BamHI (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany) and then treated with Klenow polymerase. After separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the lysC^(FBR)-containing DNA fragment approx. 1.7 kb in length is isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the vector pUC18aecD described above. This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme StuI, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim, Germany), mixed with the lysC^(FBR) fragment of approx. 1.7 kb and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In: DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pUC18aecD1.

The plasmid pUC18aecD1 is cleaved with the restriction enzyme KpnI and then treated with Klenow polymerase. The plasmid is then cleaved with the restriction enzyme SalI (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany) and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the fragment of approx. 3.2 kb which carries aecD and lysC is isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the mobilizable cloning vector pK18mobsacB described by Schäfer et al. (Gene 14: 69-73 (1994)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzymes SmaI and SalI and dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim), mixed with the fragment of approx. 3.2 kb which carries aecD and lysC, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5α (Grant et al.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 87 (1990) 4645-4649) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In. DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transfo/mation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which is supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1. A map of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 2.

The plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 was deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli DH5αmcr/pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 (=DH5alphamcr/pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1) on 5 Jun. 2002 under number DSM15040 at the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Treaty.

1.8 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the lysC Gene as the lysC^(FBR) Allele into the Chromosome (Target Site: aecD Gene) of the Strain DSM12866 by Means of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1

As described in Example 1.3, the plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 described in Example 1.4 is transferred into the C. glutamicum strain DSM12866 by conjugation. Selection is made for targeted recombination events in the chromosome of C. glutamicum DSM12866 as described in Example 1.3. Depending on the position of the second recombination event, after the excision the second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele manifests itself in the chromosome at the aecD locus, or the original aecD locus of the host remains.

Approximately 40 to 50 colonies are tested for the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin”. Approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin” are investigated with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA fragment which carries the aecD gene and surrounding regions is amplified here from the chromosomal DNA of the colonies. The same primer oligonucleotides as are described in Example 1.7 for the construction of the integration plasmid are chosen for the PCR.

aecD_beg (SEQ ID NO: 11): 5′ GAA CTT ACG CCA AGC TGT TC 3′ aecD_end (SEQ ID NO: 12): 5′ AGC ACC ACA ATC AAC GTG AG 3′

The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment approx. 2.1 kb in size in control clones with the original aecD locus. In clones with a second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele in the chromosome at the aecD locus, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 3.8 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel.

A clone which, in addition to the copy of the wild-type gene present at the lysC locus, has a second copy of the lysC gene in the form of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I at the aecD locus in the chromosome was identified in this manner. This clone was called strain DSM12866aecD::lysC.

Example 2 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the ddh Gene into the Chromosome (Target Site: gluB Gene) of the Strain DSM12866

2.1 Construction of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBglu2_(—)1

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain ATCC13032 is used as the donor for the chromosomal DNA. From the strain ATCC13032, chromosomal DNA is isolated using the conventional methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994)). With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a DNA fragment which carries the gluB gene and surrounding regions is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the gluABCD gene cluster known for C. glutamicum (Kronemeyer et al., Journal of Bacteriology, 177: 1152-1158 (1995); EP1108790) (Accession Number X81191 and AX127149), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

gluA_beg (SEQ ID NO: 13): 5′ CAC GGT TGC TCA TTG TAT CC 3′ gluD_end (SEQ ID NO: 14): 5′ CGA GGC GAA TCA GAC TTC TT 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 4.4 kb in size, which carries the gluB gene and surrounding regions.

The amplified DNA fragment is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

Ligation of the fragment is then carried out by means of the TOPO TA Cloning Kit (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands, Cat. Number K4600-01) in the vector pCRII-TOPO. The ligation batch is transformed in the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (64 mg/l).

The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The resulting plasmid is called pCRII-TOPOglu2.

The plasmid pCRII-TOPOglu2 is cleaved with the restriction enzymes EcoRI and SalI (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany) and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the gluB fragment of approx. 3.7 kb is isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the mobilizable cloning vector pK18mobsacB described by Schafer et al. (Gene 14, 69-73 (1994)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzymes EcoRI and SalI and dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim), mixed with the gluB fragment of approx. 3.7 kb, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli Strain DH5α (Grant et al.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 87 (1990) 4645-4649) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In. DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which is supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBglu2.

As described in Example 2.1, a DNA fragment which carries the ddh gene and surrounding regions is also amplified with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. On the basis of the sequence of the ddh gene cluster known for C. glutamicum (Ishino et al., Nucleic Acids Research 15, 3917 (1987)) (Accession Number Y00151), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

ddh_beg (SEQ ID NO: 15): 5′ CTG AAT CAA AGG CGG ACA TG 3′ ddh_end (SEQ ID NO: 16): 5′ TCG AGC TAA ATT AGA CGT CG 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 1.6 kb in size, which carries the ddh gene.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 1.6 kb in length, which the ddh gene, is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

After purification, the fragment carrying the ddh gene is employed for ligation in the vector pK18mobsacBglu2 described. This is partly cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme BamHI. By treatment of the vector with a Klenow polymerase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany), the overhangs of the cleaved ends are completed to blunt ends, the vector is then mixed with the DNA fragment of approx. 1.6 kb which carries the ddh gene and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany). By using Vent Polymerase (New England Biolabs, Frankfurt, Germany) for the PCR reaction, a ddh-carrying DNA fragment which has blunt ends and is suitable for ligation in the pretreated vector pK18mobsacBglu2 is generated.

The E. coli strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In: DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBglu2_(—)1. A map of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 4.

2.2 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the ddh Gene into the Chromosome (Target Site: gluB Gene) of the Strain DSM12866 by Means of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBglu2_(—)1

As described in Example 1.3, the plasmid pK18mobsacBglu2_(—)1 described in Example 2.1 is transferred into the C. glutamicum strain DSM12866 by conjugation. Selection is made for targeted recombination events in the chromosome of C. glutamicum DSM12866 as described in Example 1.3. Depending on the position of the second recombination event, after the excision the second copy of the ddh gene manifests itself in the chromosome at the gluB locus, or the original gluB locus of the host remains.

Approximately 40 to 50 colonies are tested for the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin”. Approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin” are investigated with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA fragment which carries the glu region described is amplified here from the chromosomal DNA of the colonies. The same primer oligonucleotides as are described in Example 2.1 for the construction of the replacement plasmid are chosen for the PCR.

gluA_beg (SEQ ID NO: 13): 5′ CAC GGT TGC TCA TTG TAT CC 3′ gluD_end (SEQ ID NO: 14): 5′ CGA GGC GAA TCA GAC TTC TT 3′

The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment approx. 4.4 kb in size in control clones with the original glu locus. In clones with a second copy of the ddh gene in the chromosome at the gluB locus, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 6 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel.

A clone which, in addition to the copy present at the ddh locus, has a second copy of the ddh gene at the gluB locus in the chromosome was identified in this manner. This clone was called strain DSM12866glu::ddh.

Example 3 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the dapA Gene into the Chromosome (Target Site: aecD Gene) of the Strain DSM12866

3.1 Construction of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBaecD2_(—)1

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain ATCC13032 is used as the donor for the chromosomal DNA. From the strain ATCC13032, chromosomal DNA is isolated using the conventional methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994)). With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a DNA fragment which carries the aecD gene and surrounding regions is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the aecD gene known for C. glutamicum (Rossol et al., Journal of Bacteriology 174:2968-2977 (1992)) (Accession Number M89931), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

aecD_beg (SEQ ID NO: 11): 5′ GAA CTT ACG CCA AGC TGT TC 3′ aecD_end (SEQ ID NO: 12): 5′ AGC ACC ACA ATC AAC GTG AG 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 2.1 kb in size, which carries the aecD gene and adjacent regions.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 2.1 kb in length is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

The DNA fragment purified is cleaved with the restriction enzyme BglII and EcoRV (Amersham Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany). The ligation of the fragment in the vector pUC18 then takes place (Norrander et al., Gene 26:101-106 (1983)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzymes BamHI and SmaI and dephosphorylated, mixed with the aecD-carrying fragment of approx. 1.5 kb, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany). The ligation batch is transformed in the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, The Netherlands). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (64 mg/l).

The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The resulting plasmid is called pUC18aecD.

With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction, a further DNA fragment which carries the dapA gene and surrounding regions is amplified. On the basis of the sequence of the dapA gene known for C. glutamicum (Bonassi et al., Nucleic Acids Research 18:6421 (1990)) (Accession Number X53993 and AX127149), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

dapA_beg (SEQ ID NO: 17): 5′ CGA GCC AGT GAA CAT GCA GA 3′ dapA_end (SEQ ID NO: 18): 5′ CTT GAG CAC CTT GCG CAG CA 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx. 1.4 kb in size, which carries the dapA gene and adjacent regions.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 1.4 kb in length is identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

After purification, the dapA-containing D fragment approx. 1.4 kb in length is employed for ligation with the vector pUC18aecD described above. This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme StuI, mixed with the DNA fragment of approx. 1.4 kb, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In: DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pUC18aecD2.

The plasmid pUC18aecD2 is cleaved with the restriction enzyme Sail and partly with EcoRI (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany) and after separation in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) the fragment of approx. 2.7 kb which carries aecD and dapA is isolated from the agarose gel and employed for ligation with the mobilizable cloning vector pK18mobsacB described by Schäfer et al. (Gene 14: 69-73 (1994)). This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzymes EcoRI and with SalI and dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim), mixed with the fragment of approx. 2.7 kb which carries aecD and dapA, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

The E. coli strain DH5α (Grant et al.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 87 (1990) 4645-4649) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In. DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which is supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBaecD2_(—)1. A map of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 5.

3.2 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the dapA Gene into the Chromosome (Target Site: aecD Gene) of the Strain DSM12866 by Means of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBaecD2_(—)1

As described in Example 1.3, the plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD21 described in Example 3.1 is transferred into the C. glutamicum strain DSM12866 by conjugation. Selection is made for targeted recombination events in the chromosome of C. glutamicum DSM12866 as described in Example 1.3.

Depending on the position of the second recombination event, after the excision the second copy of the dapA gene manifests itself in the chromosome at the aecD locus, or the original aecD locus of the host remains.

Approximately 40 to 50 colonies are tested for the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin”. Approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin” are investigated with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA fragment which carries the aecD gene and surrounding regions is amplified here from the chromosomal DNA of the colonies. The same primer oligonucleotides as are described in Example 3.1 for the construction of the integration plasmid are chosen for the PCR.

aecD_beg (SEQ ID NO: 11): 5′ GAA CTT ACG CCA AGC TGT TC 3′ aecD_end (SEQ ID NO: 12): 5′ AGC ACC ACA ATC AAC GTG AG 3′

The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment approx. 2.1 kb in size in control clones with the original aecD locus. In clones with a second copy of the dapA gene in the chromosome at the aecD locus, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 3.6 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel.

A clone which, in addition to the copy present at the dapA locus, has a second copy of the dapA gene at the aecD locus in the chromosome was identified in this manner. This clone was called strain DSM12866aecD::dapA.

Example 4 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the pyc Gene in the Form of the pyc Allele pycP458S into the Chromosome (Target Site: pck Gene) of the Strain DSM12866

4.1 Construction of the Replacement Vector pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)3

The replacement vector pK18mobsacBpck1 described in Example 1.5 is used as the base vector for insertion of the pyc allele.

As described in Example 2.1, a DNA fragment which carries the pyc gene and surrounding regions is also amplified with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. On the basis of the sequence of the pyc gene cluster known for C. glutamicum (Peters-Wendisch et al., Journal of Microbiology 144: 915-927 (1998)) (Accession Number Y09548), the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the PCR:

pyc_beg (SEQ ID NO: 19): 5′ TC(A CGC GT)C TTG AAG TCG TGC AGG TCA G 3′ pyc_end (SEQ ID NO: 20): 5′ TC(A CGC GT)C GCC TCC TCC ATG AGG AAG A 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out by the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press). The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment of approx 3.6 kb in size, which carries the pyc gene. The primers moreover contain the sequence for the cleavage site of the restriction endonuclease MluI, which is marked by parentheses in the nucleotide sequence shown above.

The amplified DNA fragment of approx. 3.6 kb in length, which carries the pyc gene, is cleaved with the restriction endonuclease MluI, identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel and isolated from the gel and purified by conventional methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

After purification, the fragment carrying the pyc gene is employed for ligation in the vector pK18mobsacBpck1 described. This is cleaved beforehand with the restriction enzyme BssHII, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim, Germany), mixed with the DNA fragment of approx. 3.6 kb which carries the pyc gene, and the mixture is treated with T4 DNA Ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, GeLwany).

The E. coli strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is then transformed with the ligation batch (Hanahan, In: DNA Cloning. A Practical Approach. Vol. 1, ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). Selection of plasmid-carrying cells is made by plating out the transformation batch on LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 50 mg/l kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from Qiagen and checked by restriction cleavage and subsequent agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)2.

4.2 Construction of the pyc Allele pyc P458S by Means of Site-Specific Mutagenesis of the Wild-Type pyc Gene

The site-directed mutagenesis is carried out with the QuikChange Site-Directed Mutagenesis Kit (Stratagene, La Jolla, USA). EP-A-1108790 describes a point mutation in the pyc gene for C. glutamicum which allows improved L-lysine production. On the basis of the point mutation in the nucleotide sequence of cytosine to thymine in the pyc gene at position 1372, replacement in the amino acid sequence derived therefrom of proline for serine at position 458 results. The allele is called pyc P458S. To generate the mutation described, the following primer oligonucleotides are chosen for the linear amplification:

P458S-1 (SEQ ID NO: 21): 5′ GGATTCATTGCCGATCAC (TCG) CACCTCCTTCAGGCTCCA 3′ P458S-2 (SEQ ID NO: 22): 5′ GTGGAGGAAGTCCGAGGT (CGA) GTGATCGGCAATGAATCC 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by MWG Biotech. The codon for serine, which is to replace the proline at position 458, is marked by parentheses in the nucleotide sequence shown above. The plasmid pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)2 described in Example 4.1 is employed with the two primers, which are each complementary to a strand of the plasmid, for linear amplification by means of Pfu Turbo DNA polymerase. By this lengthening of the primers, a mutated plasmid with broken circular strands is formed. The product of the linear amplification is treated with DpnI-this endonuclease cleaves the methylated and half-methylated template DNA specifically. The newly synthesized broken, mutated vector DNA is transformed in the E. coli strain XL1 Blue (Bullock, Fernandez and Short, BioTechniques (5) 376-379 (1987)). After the transformation, the XL1 Blue cells repair the breaks in the mutated plasmids. Selection of the transformants was carried out on LB medium with kanamycin 50 mg/l. The plasmid obtained is checked by means of restriction cleavage, after isolation of the DNA, and identified in agarose gel. The DNA sequence of the mutated DNA fragment is checked by sequencing. The sequence of the PCR product coincides with the sequence described Ohnishi et al. (2002). The resulting plasmid is called pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)3. A map of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 6.

4.3 Incorporation of a Second Copy of the pyc Gene in the Form of the pyc Allele pycP458S into the Chromosome (Target Site pck Gene) of the Strain DSM12866 by Means of the Replacement Vector pk18mobsacBpck1_(—)3

The plasmid pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)3 described in Example 4.2 is transferred as described in Example 1.3 into the C. glutamicum strain DSM12866 by conjugation. Selection is made for targeted recombination events in the chromosome of C. glutamicum DSM12866 as described in Example 1.3. Depending on the position of the second recombination event, after the excision the second copy of the pyc allele manifests itself in the chromosome at the pck locus, or the original pck locus of the host remains.

Approximately 40 to 50 colonies are tested for the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin”. Approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “growth in the presence of sucrose” and “non-growth in the presence of kanamycin” are investigated with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA fragment which carries the pck gene and surrounding regions is amplified here from the chromosomal DNA of the colonies. The same primer oligonucleotides as are described in Example 1.5 for the construction of the replacement plasmid are chosen for the PCR.

pck_beg (SEQ ID NO: 9): 5′ TA(A GAT CT) G CCG GCA TGA CTT CAG TTT 3′ pck_end (SEQ ID NO: 10): 5′ AC(A GAT CT) G GTG GGA GCC TTT CTT GTT ATT 3′

The primers allow amplification of a DNA fragment approx. 2.9 kb in size in control clones with the original pck locus. In clones with a second copy of the pyc allele in the chromosome at the pck locus, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 6.5 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified by means of electrophoresis in a 0.8% agarose gel.

A clone which, in addition to the copy of the wild-type gene present at the pyc locus, has a second copy of the pyc gene in the form of the pyc allele pycP458S at the pck locus in the chromosome was identified in this manner. This clone was called strain DSM12866 pck::pyc.

Example 5 Preparation of Lysine

The C. glutamicum strains DSM13994glu::lysC, DSM12866glu::lysC, DSM12866 pck::lysC, DSM12866aecD::lysC, DSM12866glu::ddh, DSM12866aecD::dapA and DSM12866 pck::pyc obtained in Example 1, 2, 3 and 4 are cultured in a nutrient medium suitable for the production of lysine and the lysine content in the culture supernatant was determined.

For this, the cultures are first incubated on a brain-heart agar plate (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) for 24 hours at 33° C. Starting from this agar plate culture, a preculture is seeded (10 ml medium in a 100 ml conical flask). The medium MM is used as the medium for the preculture. The preculture is incubated for 24 hours at 33° C. at 240 rpm on a shaking machine. A main culture is seeded from this preculture such that the initial OD (660 nm) of the main culture is 0.1 OD. The Medium MM is also used for the main culture.

Medium MM CSL   5 g/l MOPS  20 g/l Glucose (autoclaved separately)  50 g/l Salts: (NH₄)₂SO₄  25 g/l KH₂PO₄ 0.1 g/l MgSO₄*7 H₂O 1.0 g/l CaCl₂*2 H₂O  10 mg/l FeSO₄*7 H₂O  10 mg/l MnSO₄*H₂O 5.0 mg/l Biotin (sterile-filtered) 0.3 mg/l Thiamine * HCl (sterile-filtered) 0.2 mg/l CaCO₃  25 g/l

The CSL (corn steep liquor), MOPS (morpholinopropanesulfonic acid) and the salt solution are brought to pH 7 with aqueous ammonia and autoclaved. The sterile substrate and vitamin solutions, as well as the CaCO₃ autoclaved in the dry state, are then added.

Culturing is carried out in a 10 ml volume in a 100 ml conical flask with baffles. Culturing is carried out at 33° C. and 80% atmospheric humidity.

After 48 hours, the OD is determined at a measurement wavelength of 660 nm with a Biomek 1000 (Beckmann Instruments GmbH, Munich). The amount of lysine formed is determined with an amino acid analyzer from Eppendorf-BioTronik (Hamburg, Germany) by ion exchange chromatography and post-column derivation with ninhydrin detection.

The result of the experiment is shown in Table 14.

TABLE 14 OD Lysine HCl Strain (660 nm) g/l DSM13994 12.0 19.1 DSM13994glu::lysC 9.9 20.0 DSM12866 12.5 14.9 DSM15039 11.4 16.2 DSM12866pck::lysC 12.6 16.5 DSM12866aecD::lysC 12.0 15.9 DSM12866glu::ddh 11.0 15.5 DSM12866aecD::dapA 11.1 16.2 DSM12866pck::pyc 10.9 16.9

Example 6 Integration of a Copy of the lysC_T311I Allele into the Intergenic Area ncode1 of the Chromosome of the Strain DSM13992

6.1 Construction of the Exchange Vector pK18mobsacBnc1::lysC

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain DSM13994 (see example 1) is used as a donor for the chromosomal DNA. Chromosomal DNA is isolated from the strain DSM13994 with the customary methods (Eikmanns et al., Microbiology 140: 1817-1828 (1994). With the help of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a DNA fragment which encompasses an intergenic area of the chromosome labelled as “ncode1” (SEQ ID NO: 23) is amplified. This area lies within the positions 27398 to 28707 of the sequence of the Corynebacterium glutamicum genome, which is accessible under the access code AX127149 (see table 12). Due to the known sequence of this area, the following primer oligonucleotides are selected for the PCR:

Primer ncode_1 (SEQ ID NO: 24): 5′ GA(A GAT CT)A AGC TCT ATT GTC CCC TAC G 3′ Primer ncode_2 (SEQ ID NO: 25): 5′ GAT CCT TTT AAA AGC CAG TAA CAA G 3′ Primer ncode_3 (SEQ ID NO: 26): 5′ CTT GTT ACT GGC TTT TAA AAG GAT CCT ATT AAA GAA CAC TCC CCT AT 3′ Primer ncode_4 (SEQ ID NO: 27): 5′ GA(A GAT CT)C GAC TCT GGC TAA TTG CTA C 3′

The primers shown are synthesized by the company MWG Biotech and the PCR reaction is carried out using the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR protocols. A guide to methods and applications, 1990, Academic Press), in which first two products are amplified with the primer combinations ncode_(—)1 and ncode_(—)2 or ncode_(—)3 and ncode_(—)4, which then serve as a template for the primer combination ncode_(—)1 and ncode_(—)4 together in a second PCR. In this manner, the selected primers enable the amplification of an approx. 1.2 kb sized DNA fragment which bears an artificially created interface of the restriction endonuclease BamHI in the center of the intergenic area (emphasized by underlining, (SEQ ID NO: 28)). Furthermore, the primers contain the sequence for the interface of the restriction endonuclease BglII, which is marked with brackets in the nucleotide series shown above.

The amplified DNA fragment of a length of approx. 1.2 kb which bears the intergenic area ncode1 is identified by means of electrophoresis in an 0.8% agarose gel and is isolated from the gel and cleaned using the customary methods (QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit, Qiagen, Hilden).

Next, the ligation of the fragment using the Topo TA Cloning Kit (Invitrogen, Leek, Netherlands, Cat. Number K4600-01) into the vector pCRII-TOPO takes place. The ligation culture is transformed into the E. coli strain TOP10 (Invitrogen, Leek, Netherlands). The selection of plasmid-bearing cells takes place through plating of the transformation culture onto Kanamycin (50 mg/l)-containing LB agar with X-Gal (64 mg/l).

Following isolation of the DNA, the plasmid thus obtained is verified using restriction splitting and identified in the agarose gel. The plasmid obtained is called pCRII-TOPOnc.

The plasmid pCRII-TOPOnc is cut with the restriction enzyme BglII (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany), and following splitting in an agarose gel (0.8%), the approx. 1.2 kb fragment is isolated out of the agarose gel with the aid of the Qiagenquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) and used for ligation with the mobilizable cloning vector pK18mobsacB described in Schäfer et al. (Gene 14, 69-73 (1994)). This is first split with the restriction enzyme BamHI and dephosphorylized with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim), mixed with the approx. 1.2 kb fragment and the culture is treated with T4-DNA ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

Following this, the E. coli strain DH5α (Grant et al.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 87 (1990) 4645-4649) is transformed with the ligation culture (Hanahan, In. DNA cloning. A practical approach. Vol. 1. ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). The selection of the plasmid-bearing cells takes place through plating of the transformation cultures onto LB agar (Sambrock et al., Molecular Cloning: a laboratory manual. 2^(nd) Ed. Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) which is supplemented with 25 mg/l Kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from the company Qiagen and verified using restriction splitting with the enzyme XbaI and following agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBnc.

The plasmid pCRIITOPOlysC described in example 1 is cut using the restriction enzyme BamHI (Amersham-Pharmarcia, Freiburg, Germany). Following splitting in an agarose gel (0.8%) with the aid of the Qiagenquick Gel Extraction Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany), the approx. 1.7 kb long, lysC_T311I containing DNA fragment is isolated out of the agarose gel and used for ligation with the vector pK18mobsacBnc described above. This is first split with the restriction enzyme BamHI, dephosphorylized with alkaline phosphatase (Alkaline Phosphatase, Boehringer Mannheim, Germany), mixed with the approx. 1.7 kb DNA fragment and the culture is treated with T4-DNA ligase (Amersham-Pharmacia, Freiburg, Germany).

Following this, the E. coli Strain DH5αmcr (Life Technologies GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) is transformed using the ligation culture (Hanahan, In. DNA cloning. A practical approach. Vol. 1. ILR-Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989). The selection of the plasmid-bearing cells takes place through plating of the transformation culture onto LB agar (Sambrock et al., Molecular Cloning: a laboratory manual. 2^(nd) Ed. Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989), which was supplemented with 25 mg/l Kanamycin.

Plasmid DNA is isolated from a transformant with the aid of the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit from the company Qiagen isolated and verified through restriction splitting with the enzymes HindIII and XbaI and following agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid is called pK18mobsacBnc::lysC. A card of the plasmid is shown in FIG. 7.

6.2 Integration of a Second Copy of the lysC Gene in the Form of the lysC^(FBR)m Allele lysC T311I into the Chromosome (Target Site: the Intergenic Area ncode1) of the Strain DSM13992, using the Exchange Vector pK18mobsacBnc::lysC

The vector pK18mobsacBnc::lysC named in example 6.1 is transferred into the C. glutamicum strain DSM13992 according to a modified protocol of Schafer et al. (1990 Journal of Microbiology 172: 1663-1666).

The Corynebacterium glutamicum strain DSM13992 was manufactured by repeated, undirected mutagenesis, selection and mutant selection from C. glutamicum ATCC13032. The strain is resistant to the antibiotic Streptomycin and phenotypically resistant to the lysine analogon S-(2-Aminoethyl)-L-Cysteine. However, the strain has a wild-type aspartate kinase which is sensitive to inhibition by a mixture of lysine and therein (25 mM each). A pure culture of this strain was filed on Jan. 16, 2001 with the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen [=German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures](DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) in accordance with the Budapest Convention.

The vector pK18mobsacBnc::lysC cannot replicate independently in DSM13992 and only remains in the cell if it has integrated into the chromosome through recombination.

The selection of clones with integrated pK18mobsacBnc::lysC takes place through plating of the conjugation culture onto LB agar (Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2^(nd) Ed., Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) which was supplemented with 15 mg/l Kanamycin and 50 mg/l nalidixin acid. Clones that have begun to grow are plated onto LB agar plates with 25 mg/l Kanamycin and incubated for 16 hours at 33° C. To bring about the excision of the plasmid through a second recombination event, the clones are started with 10% sucrose after the 16-hour incubation in the LB liquid medium. The plasmid pK18mobsacB contains a copy of the sacB gene, which changes sucrose into levan, which in turn is toxic to C. glutamicum.

Consequently, only clones in which the integrated pK18mobsacBnc::lysC has excised again grow on LB agar with sucrose. In dependency from the position of the second recombination event, during excision, either the copy of the lysC with the surrounding intergenic area ncode1 will excise together with the plasmid, or only the intergenic area ncode1 will excise.

In order to prove that the copy of lysC has remained in the intergenic area ncode1 of the chromosome, approximately 20 colonies which show the phenotype “Growth in the Presence of Sucrose” and “Non-Growth in the Presence of Kanamycin” according to the standard PCR method of Innis et al. (PCR Protocols. A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Academic Press) are researched with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction. In this, a DNA fragment from the chromosomal colonies of the DNA which carries the lysC gene as well as the surrounding areas is amplified. The following primer oligonucleotides are selected for the PCR.

3371V (SEQ ID NO: 29): 5′ TAT CAT GCG GTG AGC TGT GA 3′ 3372N (SEQ ID NO: 30): 5′ TAG GGG TGA TGT GCT ACT GT 3′

In control clones with the original ncode1 location, the primers enable the amplification of an approx. 1.3 kb sized DNA fragment. In clones with a copy of the lysC gene in the intergenic area ncode1 of the chromosome, DNA fragments with a size of approx. 3.0 kb are amplified.

The amplified DNA fragments are identified using electrophoresis in an 0.8% agarose gel.

In this manner, a clone was identified which in addition to the copy existing in the lysC location, has a second copy of the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I in the intergenic area ncode1 in the chromosome. This clone was named as the strain DSM13992nc::lysC.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The base pair numbers stated are approximate values obtained in the context of reproducibility of measurements.

FIG. 1: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1.

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR: Kanamycin resistance gene -   HindIII: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme HindIII -   BamHI: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme BamHI -   lysC: lysC^(FBR) allele, lysC T311I -   ′gluA: 3′ terminal fragment of the gluA gene -   gluB′: 5′ terminal fragment of the gluB gene -   ′gluB: 3′ terminal fragment of the gluB gene -   gluC′: 5′ terminal fragment of the gluC gene -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V

FIG. 2: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1.

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR: Kanamycin resistance gene -   SalI: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme SalI -   lysC: lysC^(FBR) allele, lysC T311I -   aecD′: 5′ terminal fragment of the aecD gene -   ′aecD: 3′ terminal fragment of the aecD gene -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V

FIG. 3: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)1.

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR: Kanamycin resistance gene -   BamHI: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme BamHI -   lysC: lysC^(FBR) allele, lysC T311I -   pck′: 5′ terminal fragment of the pck gene -   ′pck: 3′ terminal fragment of the pck gene -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V

FIG. 4: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBgluB2_(—)1.

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR. Kanamycin resistance gene -   SalI Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme SalI -   EcoRI Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme EcoRI -   BamHI: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme BamHI -   ddh: ddh gene -   gluA gluA gene -   gluB′: 5′ terminal fragment of the gluB gene -   ′gluB: 3′ terminal fragment of the gluB gene -   gluC gluC gene -   gluD′: 5′ terminal fragment of the gluD gene -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V

FIG. 5: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD2_(—)1.

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR: Kanamycin resistance gene -   EcoRI Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme EcoRI -   SalI: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme SalI -   dapA: dapA gene -   aecD′: 5′ terminal fragment of the aecD gene -   ′aecD: 3′ terminal fragment of the aecD gene -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V

FIG. 6: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBpck1_(—)3.

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR: Kanamycin resistance gene -   pyc: pyc allele, pyc P458S -   pck′: 5′ terminal fragment of the pck gene -   ′pck: 3′ terminal fragment of the pck gene -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V

FIG. 7: Map of the plasmid pK18mobsacBnc::lysC

The abbreviations and designations used have the following meaning:

-   KanR: Kanamycin resistance gene -   BamHI: Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme BamHI -   HindIII Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme HindIII -   XbaI Cleavage site of the restriction enzyme XbaI -   lysC: lysC^(FBR) allele, lysC T311I -   sacB: sacB gene -   RP4mob: mob region with the replication origin for the transfer     (oriT) -   oriV: Replication origin V 

1. Coryneform bacteria which produce chemical compounds, wherein these have, in addition to at least one copy, present at the natural site (locus), of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele which codes for the synthesis of a protein or an RNA, a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele in question at a second, optionally third or fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication, or transposition in microorganisms and no nucleotide sequence(s) which impart(s) resistance to antibiotics being present at the second, optionally third or fourth site, and the second, optionally third or fourth site not relating to open reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles which are essential for the growth of the bacteria and the production of the desired compound.
 2. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 1 which produce chemical compounds, wherein the corynefo/m bacteria belong to the genus Corynebacterium.
 3. Coryneform bacteria of the genus Corynebacterium according to claim 2 which produce chemical compounds, wherein these belong to the species Corynebacterium glutamicum.
 4. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 1 which produce chemical compounds, wherein the chemical compound is a compound chosen from the group consisting of L-amino acids, vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides.
 5. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 1 which produce chemical compounds, wherein the chemical compound is one or more L-amino acids chosen from the group consisting of L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-threonine, L-serine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, glycine, L-alanine, L-cysteine, L-valine, L-methionine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-lysine, L-tryptophan, L-proline and L-arginine.
 6. Coryneform bacteria according to claims 1 and 4 which produce chemical compounds, wherein the L-amino acid is L-lysine, and these bacteria have, in addition to at least one copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production present at the natural site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production in question at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome.
 7. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 6 which produce L-lysine, wherein the coryneform bacteria belong to the genus Corynebacterium.
 8. Coryneform bacteria of the genus Corynebacterium according to claim 7 which produce L-lysine, wherein these belong to the species Corynebacterium glutamicum.
 9. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 6 which produce L-lysine, wherein the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production is one or more open reading frame(s), one or more gene(s) or allele(s) chosen from the group consisting of accBC, accDA, cstA, cysD, cysE, cysH, cysK, cysN, cysQ, dapA, dapB, dapC, dapD, dapE, dapF, ddh, dps, eno, gap, gap2, gdh, gnd, lysC, lysC^(FBR), lysE, msiK, opcA, oxyR, ppc, ppc^(FBR), pgk, pknA, pknB, pknD, pknG, ppsA, ptsH, ptsI, ptsM, pyc, pyc P458S, sigC, sigD, sigE, sigH, sigh, tal, thyA, tkt, tpi, zwa1, zwf and zwf A213T.
 10. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 6 which produce L-lysine, wherein the open reading frame, gene or allele of lysine production is one or more gene(s) or allele(s) chosen from the group consisting of dapA, ddh, lysC^(FBR) and pyc P458S.
 11. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 6 which produce L-lysine, wherein the open reading frame, gene or allele of lysine production is a lysC^(FBR) allele which codes for a feed back resistant form of aspartate kinase.
 12. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 11 which produce L-lysine, wherein the feed back resistant fonts of aspartate kinase coded by the lysC^(FBR) allele contains an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:2 containing one or more amino acid replacements chosen from the group consisting of A279T, A279V, S301F, T308I, S301Y, G345D, R320G, T311I and S381F.
 13. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 11 which produce L-lysine, wherein the feed back resistant form of aspartate kinase coded by the lysC^(FBR) allele includes an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:4.
 14. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 11 which produce L-lysine, wherein the coding region of the lysC^(FBR) allele includes the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.
 15. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 6 which produce L-lysine, wherein the particular second, optionally third or fourth site is a gene chosen from the group consisting of aecD, ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, fda, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, luxR, luxS, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, menE, mqo, pck, pgi and poxB.
 16. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 6 which produce L-lysine, wherein the particular second, optionally third or fourth site is a site chosen from the group consisting of intergenic regions of the chromosome, prophages contained in the chromosome and defective phages contained in the chromosome.
 17. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 15 which produce L-lysine, wherein the particular second, optionally third or fourth site is the aecD gene site.
 18. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 15 which produce L-lysine, wherein the particular second, optionally third or fourth site is the gluB gene site.
 19. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 15 which produce L-lysine, wherein the particular second, optionally third or fourth site is the pck gene site.
 20. Process for the preparation of chemical compounds by fermentation of coryneform bacteria, in which the following steps are carried out: a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria, which a1) which have, in addition to at least one copy, present at the natural site (locus), of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele which codes for the synthesis of a protein or an RNA, a second, optionally third or fourth copy of this open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele at a second, optionally third or fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome, no nucleotide sequence which is capable of/enables episomal replication or transposition in microorganisms and no nucleotide sequence(s) which impart(s) resistance to antibiotics being present at the second, optionally third or fourth site, and the second, optionally third or fourth site not relating to open reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles which are essential for the growth of the bacteria and the production of the desired compound, and a2) in which the intracellular activity of the corresponding protein is increased, in particular the nucleotide sequence which codes for this protein is over-expressed, b) concentration of the chemical compound(s) in the fermentation broth and/or in the cells of the bacteria, c) isolation of the chemical compound(s), optionally d) with constituents from the fermentation broth and/or the biomass to the extent of >(greater than) 0 to 100 wt. %.
 21. Process according to claim 20, wherein the coryneform bacteria belong to the genus Corynebacterium.
 22. Process according to claim 20, wherein the coryneform bacteria of the genus Corynebacterium belong to the species Corynebacterium glutamicum.
 23. Process according to claim 20, wherein the chemical compound is a compound chosen from the group consisting of L-amino acids, vitamins, nucleosides and nucleotides.
 24. Process according to claim 20, wherein the chemical compound is one or more L-amino acids chosen from the group consisting of L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-threonine, L-serine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, glycine, L-alanine, L-cysteine, L-valine, L-methionine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-lysine, L-tryptophan, L-proline and L-arginine.
 25. Process according to claim 24, wherein the chemical compound is L-lysine.
 26. Process for the preparation of L-lysine, which comprises the following steps: a) fermentation of coryneform bacteria which have, in addition to at least one copy of an open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production present at the natural site (locus), in each case a second, optionally third or fourth copy of the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production in question at in each case a second, optionally third or fourth site in a form integrated into the chromosome under conditions which allow expression of the said open reading frames (ORF), genes or alleles mentioned.
 27. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production is an open reading frame, a gene or allele chosen from the group consisting of accBC, accDA, cstA, cysD, cysE, cysH, cysK, cysN, cysQ, dapA, dapB, dapC, dapD, dapE, dapF, ddh, dps, eno, gap, gap2, gdh, gnd, lysC, lysC^(FBR), lysE, msiK, opcA, oxyR, ppc, ppc^(FBR), pgk, pknA, pknB, pknD, pknG, ppsA, ptsH, ptsI, ptsM, pyc, pyc P458S, sigC, sigD, sigE, sigH, sigM, tal, thyA, tkt, tpi, zwa1, zwf and zwf A213T.
 28. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production is a gene or allele chosen from the group consisting of dapA, ddh, lysC^(FBR) and pyc P458S.
 29. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the open reading frame (ORF), gene or allele of lysine production is a lysC^(FBR) allele which codes for a feed back resistant form of aspartate kinase.
 30. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 29, wherein the feed back resistant form of aspartate kinase coded by the lysC^(FBR) allele contains an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:2 containing one or more amino acid replacements chosen from the group consisting of A279T, A279V, S301F, T308I, S301Y, G345D, R320G, T311I and S381F.
 31. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 29, wherein the feed back resistant form of aspartate kinase coded by the lysC^(FBR) allele includes an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:4.
 32. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 29, wherein the coding region of the lysC^(FBR) allele includes the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.
 33. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the particular second, optionally third or fourth site is a site chosen from the group consisting of aecD, ccpA1, ccpA2, citA, citB, citE, fda, gluA, gluB, gluC, gluD, luxR, luxS, lysR1, lysR2, lysR3, menE, mqo, pck, pgi and poxB.
 34. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the second, optionally third or fourth site is the aecD gene site.
 35. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the second, optionally third or fourth site is the gluB gene site.
 36. Process for the preparation of L-lysine according to claim 26, wherein the second, optionally third or fourth site is the pck gene site.
 37. Process for the production of coryneform bacteria which produce one or more chemical compounds, which comprises a) isolating the nucleotide sequence of at least one desired ORF, gene or allele which codes for a protein or an RNA, optionally including the expression and/or regulation signals, preferably from coryneform bacteria, b) providing the 5′ and the 3′ end of the ORF, gene or allele with nucleotide sequences of the target site, c) preferably incorporating the nucleotide sequence of the desired ORF, gene or allele provided with nucleotide sequences of the target site into a vector which does not replicate or replicates to only a limited extent in coryneform bacteria, d) transferring the nucleotide sequences according to b) or c) into coryneform bacteria, and e) isolating coryneform bacteria in which the nucleotide sequence(s) according to a) is incorporated at the target site, no nucleotide sequence(s) which is(are) capable of/enable(s) episomal replication or transposition in microorganisms, and no nucleotide sequence(s) which impart(s) resistance to antibiotics remaining at the target site.
 38. Plasmid pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 shown in FIG. 1 and deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli DH5αmcr/pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1 (=DH5alpha mcr/pK18mobsacBglu1_(—)1) under number DSM14243.
 39. Plasmid pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 shown in FIG. 2 and deposited in the form of a pure culture of the strain E. coli DH5αmcr/pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1 (=DH5alphamcr/pK18mobsacBaecD1_(—)1) under number DSM15040.
 40. Corynebacterium glutamicum strain DSM12866glu::lysC deposited in the form of a pure culture under number DSM15039.
 41. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 1, wherein the second, optionally third or fourth site is a site chosen from the group consisting of intergenic regions of the chromosome, prophages contained in the chromosome and defective phages contained in the chromosome.
 42. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 41, wherein the intergenic region is selected from table
 12. 43. Coryneform bacteria according to claim 41, wherein the prophages contained in the chromosome and defective phages contained in the chromosome are selected from table
 13. 44. Process according to claim 20, wherein said second, third or fourth site is selected from the group consisting of intergenic regions of the chromosome, prophages contained in the chromosome and defective phages contained in the chromosome.
 45. Process according to claim 44, wherein the intergenic regions are selected from table
 12. 46. Process according to claim 44, wherein the prophages contained in the chromosome and defective phages contained in the chromosome are selected from table
 13. 47. Process according to claim 37, wherein said nucleotide sequence site is selected from the group consisting of intergenic regions of the chromosome, prophagbes contained in the chromosome and defective phages contained in the chromosome.
 48. Process according to claim 47, wherein the intergenic regions are selected from table
 12. 